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Astronauts Hearts Becomes Rounder During Space Exploration

Apr 01, 2014 04:22 PM EDT | By Justin Stock

Gravity has so much power, it can change the shape of an astronauts heart while they are exploring space.

According to a press release from the American College of Cardiology, the stretched durations of outer space's microgravity or instances when small impacts happen, cause the organ to appear unusually circular.

"The heart doesn't work as hard in space, which can cause a loss of muscle mass," James Thomas senior author of the study said in a statement The Space Reporter reported. "That can have serious consequences after the return to Earth, so we're looking into whether there are measures that can be taken to prevent or counteract that loss."

Thomas is also the Moore Chair at the Cardiovascular Imaging and lead scientist of Ultrasound at NASA.

"The models predicted the changes we observed in the astronauts almost exactly. It gives us confidence that we can move ahead and start using these models for more clinically important applications on Earth, such as to predict what happens to the heart under different stresses," Thomas said in the statement.

The discoveries will help scientists further their knowledge about how astronauts health is affected when they travel to space Space Reporter reported.

According to the press release, astronauts run the risk of becoming lightheaded, or become unconscious via orthostatic hypotension when the body's blood pressure drops if someone stands on two feet.

Astronauts can also experience Arrhythmias or when there is a change in someone's heartbeat according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Atheroscleroisis, is also a possibility when the walls of the body's arteries become unusually dense.

One thousand and fifty eight candidates out of 200,000 people were selected to head into outer space as part of the Mars One mission to the red planet, that would help establish human life.

The private one way mission is also expected to bring a robotic lander, and communications satellite to the red planet Fox News reported. Lockheed Martin is involved with the creation of the lander while Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. is probing a study for the satellite.

The satellite will allow those involved in the mission to view a live video stream of the undertaking from Earth according to CNN.

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