so artificial gravity, is it real?
The fact of the matter is, technically no and in some ways depending on your definition of gravity, yes. Scientist can not per-say exactly replicate "normal" gravity like the one we experience on a day to day basis here on earth. But they are trying to find out how they can do this. Scientists have been researching new graviton particles that have a minute force that can theoretically be used if large quantities of them are gathered and isolated, to create a gravitational field. However this is still being researched.
But we do have things like centrifuge technology. If you have ever been in a science lab and seen the device that spins test tubes, that is a centrifuge. So, this could be a way to solve the micro gravity problem that our great grand children may in fact have to face when they make space travel a civilian luxury. But until then it is just something that astronauts are looking into at the moment. This is what you always see in si-fi movies, the big rotating space ship? technically speaking this could be a viable fix to the problem of gravity, however the physics behind it makes it a bit complicated. Now what could be so complicated about a rotating ship its just like a big bike wheel that's spinning right? well yes however if this is to be used for deep space travel at various speeds this idea would be catastrophic. so say you are traveling from earth to mars you send a space craft into space and then you initiate rotating the ship, and you are rotating and going towards mars, now you are approaching mars and need to slow down and ca-splat the fact is that physics will not allow these forces to slow down enough to where the people on board the space ship wouldn't hit a wall upon stopping, killing everyone on board. so this idea is still being researched and needs more science to make it a viable idea to solve the micro gravity problem .
What about Iron lungs? now this is not literally an iron lung you place in your body, but rather it is a huge metal machine that you place your body in that acts like a huge suction cup pulling the fluids in your body, moving them around. Similar to ancient Chinese cupping where a put in placed on the skin with heat to pull the oxygen creating a suction for pull blood up and releases muscular tension this "iron lung" would help move fluids around the body. Its a neat idea but it sounds a bit odd...
But what is with all of these things pulling fluids!? well as of now this is one of the only solutions that is viable and in a few ways cost efficient. However the one things that is currently maintaining our astronauts health is something that we can all do, exercise. Astronauts exercise a minimum of 2 hours a day in order to maintain adequate muscle mass to maintain healthy body functions.
Newer tech, kind of like an iron man suit, is being researched and is in minor test stages. It is an exoskeleton that acts as resistance to help maintain muscle mass through the wearing of a full body suit. This exoskeleton currently has a patent as of 2016 and may have further research being conducted. It seems as if it could be a viable fix to current mitigation factors related to astronaut health. But what are these health factors that are so dangerously being put at risk? catch up next time on my post on micro-gravity's effects on the human body.
ciao
here are some links with journals and websites where I found my information if you want to take a deeper look.
Coats, B. & Sharp, K. (2010). Simulated stand tests and centrifuge training to
prevent orthostatic intolerance on earth, moon, and mars. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 38(3), 1119-31. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10439-010-9943-3
Dorminey, B. (2015, March 31). Deep space exploration will demand artificial gravity.
Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucedorminey/2015/03/31/deep-space-exploration-will-demand-artificial-gravity/#54e9fd162ff7
Hadhazy, A. (2017). Artificial gravity's attraction. Aerospace America, 55(4),
30. Retrieved fromhttps://search-proquest-com.mutex.gmu.edu/docview/1891792563?accountid=14541
Li, X., Yang, C., Zhu, Y., Sun, J., Shi, F., Wang, Y & Sun, X. (2017). Moderate exercise
based on artificial gravity preserves orthostatic tolerance and exercise capacity during short-term head-down bed rest. Physiological Research, 66(4), 567-580. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.mutex.gmu.edu/docview/1953856531?accountid=14541
Siegel, E. (2017, October 19). Why don't we have artificial gravity in space? Retrieved
November 16, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/10/19/why-dont-we-have-artificial-gravity-in-space/#20ce4c944488
