Aside from government politics, space radiation is one of the biggest threats to humans seeking to leave our home world.
Unless we find a way to protect ourselves, humanity will only be able to settle upon only a few worlds within our star system. As shown in the video below, scientists are attempting to find innovative ways to counteract radiation’s effects, as failure to do so can result in a few dead astronauts.
Scientists are currently working on ways to deal with radiation via medicine, nano particles and portable magnetic fields, as well as mapping out “safe havens” (i.e. off world caves on the Moon and Mars).
Thus far our closest neighbor has some temporary protection thanks to Earth’s magnetic field, although hopefully we can come up with a more permanent solution aside from just settling Jupiter’s Callisto and Saturn’s Titan.
[Hat Tip: Spaceports. Image Credit: NASA (assumed), via ITECS Insider.]
This post originally appeared on Colony Worlds.
