DAILYMAIL
After nine gruelling months in space, NASA’s stranded astronauts have finally returned to Earth.
However, experts warn that Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams’ unplanned stay on the International Space Station (ISS) could have serious health impacts.
Shocking before-and-after images show the terrifying damage that months spent in the harsh conditions in space will do to you.
From ‘chicken legs’ and ‘baby feet’ to an increased risk of cancer, experts warn that the stranded astronauts could face years of health complications.
As Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 62, emerged from their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule yesterday, medical teams rushed to help them onto stretchers.
This is a normal procedure for astronauts returning from space since their weakened muscles make it difficult to walk under the force of Earth’s gravity.
The pair will now undergo several days of intensive medical checks at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston but health experts have already noticed signs of physical decline in the stranded astronauts.
And even while they were on the ISS, experts expressed concern over the pair’s gaunt appearance and apparent weight loss.
Beyond looking unusual, this buildup of fluids in the head can also lead to serious medical complications.
As pressure builds up in the head it presses on the eyes and on the optical nerves causing something called Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS).
Over time, microgravity even causes changes in the shape of the eye including swelling of the optic nerve, flattening of the back of the eye, and the development of folds in the retina.
SANS causes blurry or fuzzy vision in about 70 per cent of all astronauts who go into space.
Astronauts’ eyes typically return to normal once they return to Earth, studies have shown, but NASA warns that some effects are permanent.
NASA also warns that the longer astronauts remain in space the greater the risk of vision damage, which will be concerning given Williams and Wilmore’s exceptionally long mission.
Likewise, changing pressures in the brain, alongside the stress and lack of sleep, has been linked to cognitive decline in some astronauts.
Studies have shown that astronauts process some tasks significantly slower while in space than on Earth.
Research has also shown that astronauts have impaired working memory and attention, alongside altered risk-taking behaviour.
However, there is currently no evidence that these changes persist once astronauts return to Earth.
The biggest risks associated with an extended time in space come from the exposure to microgravity.
Away from the pull of Earth’s gravity, astronauts’ muscles begin to weaken through lack of work.
Over time this leads to muscle atrophy which leaves astronauts frail upon their return to Earth.
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