4 ms·

Tangential question, but does anyone have any idea why, based on the first graph in the article [1], NASA's allowable radiation limits for women are so much low

• corndoge 9y ago
  Birth defects
  • mirimir 9y ago
    In vertebrate females, all oogonia mature to oocytes before birth. In males, spermatogonia mature to spermatocytes continuously after puberty. I gather that oocytes and spermatocytes are more sensitive than spermatogonia to radiation damage. Damaged spermatocytes and sperm get replaced after a few weeks. But there's no replacement for damaged oocytes. So yes, birth defects.
    • teslabox 9y ago
      > But there's no replacement for damaged oocytes. That was the old thinking, but now there's evidence that women can probably generate 'new' eggs: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/07/evidence-suggests-womens-ovaries-can-grow-new-eggs https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/07/evidence-sug... https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120726180259.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120726180259.h...
      • mirimir 9y ago
        Wow, that's amazing. But on the other hand, using a chemotherapy drug to ovulate seems a little iffy.
• deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
• baybal2 9y ago
  Women are smaller...
  • baybal2 9y ago
    I mean the radiation dose is calculated on an average body volume