Worms are Being Sent Into Space in an Effort to Understand Muscle Loss in Microgravity

Thousands of worms are being blasted into orbit as part of a project to understand how muscle atrophy occurs.

The human body evolved in response to the gravitational pull of the Earth. Bones and muscles don't have to maintain the body's bulk in the microgravity condition onboard the orbiting International Space Station (weight on Earth). Astronauts would undergo bone and muscle loss or atrophy if they did not engage in Earth-like activity while in space. Normal aging, sedentary lifestyles, and diseases can all cause bone and muscle atrophy. Both astronauts and individuals on Earth may suffer major health problems as a result of falls or osteoporosis.

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