Microgravity Topics
Curious Skeletons
2002 — April 6, 2011
Deep within the cells we're made of, squishy skeletons feel the effects of gravity ... and respond in unexpected ways.
Hip Science
2002 — April 6, 2011
Using space technology, NASA-funded researchers are developing artificial bones for pain-free hip implants.
Balancing Brains
2002 — Sept. 20, 2011
NASA researchers have discovered something odd: if you put an astronaut in a spinning chair, their brains might decide they are back in space. Why? The answer may reveal important lessons about human learning.
The Physicsof Sandcastles
2002 — April 6, 2011
An upcoming shuttle mission will carry small columns of sand into space -- and will return with valuable lessons for earthquake engineers, farmers and physicists.
Prozac for Plants
2005 — April 6, 2011
How do you get plants to grow on Mars? Step One: relieve their anxiety.
NASA Naps
2005 — April 6, 2011
NASA-supported sleep researchers are learning new and surprising things about naps.
Mysterious Cancer
2005 — April 6, 2011
Researchers agree that space radiation can cause cancer. They're just not sure how.
Salmonella Spills its Secrets on the Space Shuttle
2009 — April 6, 2011
NASA-supported researchers have figured out why Salmonella bacteria become more virulent when they travel on board spaceships. They've also learned how to calm the bacteria down again--a trick that could come in handy for fighting diseases here on Earth.
Antibiotics in Orbit
2000 — April 6, 2011
Pilot studies indicate that microbial antibiotic production can be increased by up to 200 percent in space-grown cultures. Scientists who studied such antibiotics during the "John Glenn" shuttle mission in 1998 are looking forward to more low-gravity experiments on the International Space Station.
Flowing Sand in Space
2000 — April 6, 2011
NASA scientists are sending sand into Earth orbit to learn more about how dirt behaves during earthquakes. Their results will help civil engineers build safer structures on Earth and someday on other planets, too.