believe it or not:the scent of space

[Lemon Cheesecake]

what people forget is that nothing really disappears - it changes form or never goes away

[Lemon Cheesecake]

Astronaut Scott Kelly "spent 340 straight days aboard the International Space Station from 2015 to 2016. When the NASA veteran returned to Earth, researchers immediately noted that he had grown two inches in height. A new study comparing Scott to his identical twin, Mark — who is also a NASA astronaut and stayed on Earth during the 340-day trip — has revealed that long-term space travel alters more than just your height."

Being in space changed his DNA!

[+] SPOILER

"“Scott’s telomeres (endcaps of chromosomes that shorten as one ages) actually became significantly longer in space,” NASA researchers wrote in a statement. The space agency added that Kelly had hundreds of “space genes” activated by the year-long flight which reportedly altered the astronaut’s “immune system, DNA repair, bone formation networks, hypoxia, and hypercapnia.”

[Gingerale]

Do you think people will try to make tanks or chambers that mirror living in Space in search of a fountain of youth process to lengthen their telomeres?

I suppose if you had enough money you could live in a space station for a few months every year. Actually, if I wasn't afraid of heights and didn't get travel sick I think that would be very cool. Once I was in space I would be ok looking at the stars and the earth and the moon.

[Polaris]

Ooh, lengthened telomeres are pretty good! They're the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes in our DNA and help protect them from being damaged when our cells undergo division (to make more cells!) As one of my lecturers put it, they're kind of like the plastic end of shoelaces because they help keep the chromosome together.

As we grow older and our cells continue to divide, the telomeres get shorter and shorter with each cell division. Eventually, they get too short and the cell either:
1) stops dividing, becomes inactive, and dies
2) continues to divide, which is super dangerous as it increases risk for cancer and other genetic diseases

I'd explain more, but I think I might bore you guys with all this science and genetics talk ehehe.

[Lemon Cheesecake]

great anology with the shoe laces, Polaris! How cool you are learning about it in class! I don't recall learning about this stuff but I find it very intriguing. I am blown away you can just spout that information out so quickly and put it in terms we can understand, let alone you knew what telomeres are with out looking it up.

I dub you... Polaris the wise.(or we can come up with a better one, either way I am amazed you even knew what I was talking about and that's only because I read it in an article).

You keep up those studies!

[Gingerale]

Here's a corrected article by Space.com
https://www.space.com/40007-astronauts- ... tical.html

[+] SPOILER

"Mark and Scott Kelly are still identical twins; Scott's DNA did not fundamentally change. What researchers did observe are changes in gene expression, which is how your body reacts to your environment. This likely is within the range for humans under stress, such as mountain climbing or scuba diving," NASA said in the recent clarification to the Jan. 31 update. [Twins In Space: Astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly in Photos]

NASA's update came after some media outlets initially misreported that Scott Kelly's DNA itself had changed.

"The change related to only 7 percent of the gene expression that changed during spaceflight that had not returned to preflight [levels] after six months on Earth," NASA officials wrote. "This change of gene expression is very minimal. We are at the beginning of our understanding of how spaceflight affects the molecular level of the human body. NASA and the other researchers collaborating on these studies expect to announce more comprehensive results on the twins studies this summer."

As far as I can tell, one of the identical twins is skinnier then the other and grew some facial hair so it offsets that "identcal", look where you can't tell them apart.

[Lemon Cheesecake]

Good to remember NOT to believe everything we read...but to rmemebr that for most things to be believable there has to be some measure of truth - or true sounding- to it. I look forward to reading the official report from NASA when it comes out...and perhaps if anything the DNA article just spurs some of us to research it more.

[Polaris]

Even though his DNA didn't change significantly (which is a good thing!), he could've/could be experienced/experiencing a serious side-effect of his bones weakening due to extended space-flight. Scientists are studying to see why we're experiencing bone loss. If they can crack the science behind that, they may be able to crack and find a remedy/solution to those affected by osteoporosis and other bone diseases!

And ahaha thanks Lemon xD, though I'm no wise owl. Just call me Polaris, the Starry-Eyed Dreamer (because I love stars and I sleep way more than I should be)

[Lemon Cheesecake]

You keep dreaming and maybe one day we will have you logging onto Windlyn from space~!

[Lemon Cheesecake]

believe it or not : sweets can make you live longer .... well, not really, but this 112 year old Japanese man loves his sweets and it never stopped him! But then he also likes watching sumo and reading his newspaper...one or all of these things haven't hindered him ...that and good gene's!

Oh yeah...and soaking in hot tubs!

https://www.today.com/health/world-s-ol ... ts-t126908

"Masazo Nonaka loves sweets, soaking in hot springs, watching sumo wrestling and his daily newspaper.

He’s especially fond of strawberry sponge cake, but any dessert will do, his family said."

[+] SPOILER

The oldest person currently on the list is 117-year-old Nabi Tajima, a woman in Japan. The all-time record for the oldest person ever is held by Jeanne Louise Calment from France, who lived 122 years and 164 days until her death in 1997.

People who live extremely long lives aren't born with just one “aging well” gene, but many of them — “it’s like winning the lottery,” Perls noted — which allows them to delay or escape major diseases."

[Gingerale]

Yes! Another reason to eat sweets! Especially strawberry shortcake!

[Lemon Cheesecake]

sponge cake is my favorite...especially with whipped cream and fresh fruit...yum!

[Lemon Cheesecake]

Ritz cracker recall:

https://us.mondelezinternational.com/~/ ... l-2108.pdf

[Lemon Cheesecake]

Oh no! Salad recalls again too!

Fresh Express, Trader Joe's, Kroger's Delish, Walgreen's - McDonald's!!!

[+] SPOILER

The illness can last a few days to a few months, and patients might feel better but then get worse again. Cyclosporiasis can be treated with antibiotics.
Illnesses have been reported in 15 states: Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. However, the patients in Connecticut, Michigan, Tennessee and Virginia bought their salads in Illinois while traveling, and the Florida patient bought the salad in Kentucky.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/02/health/3 ... index.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 72971.html

[Watery Star]

Ugh food recalls

The scary thing is how much food can come from a select few farms etc.