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> (Conclusion: walking on the moon is healthy?) NASA vetted the Apollo astronauts for those who did not have medical problems, so it would be more accurate to
by LorenDB 1y ago
> (Conclusion: walking on the moon is healthy?)
NASA vetted the Apollo astronauts for those who did not have medical problems, so it would be more accurate to say they walked on the moon because they were healthy.
- sealeck 1y agoThey also vetted the people who didn't walk on the moon (because they apply the same testing to all astronauts).
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- shermantanktop 1y agoI also didn't walk on the moon, so therefore I'm healthy.
- hollerith 1y agoThe average lifespan of the astronauts that did not walk on the moon might be even longer than the ones that did. I mean, you don't have any data (or evidence) on that one way or the other; do you? ADDED. Oops: the comment 3 levels above gives data. I regret wading into this thread.
- xattt 1y agoWhat about backup crews as a control?
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- elliotec 1y agoIncredibly small sample size, but aren’t they all
- frosted-flakes 1y agoFor Apollo, the backup crew became the main crew two missions later (politics intervened on the last couple of missions, but this generally held true for all the manned Apollo missions).
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- inglor_cz 1y agoI think there is one more variable in play: conscientiousness, a second nature to astronauts. In the earlier times, they were often chosen from among test pilots, who really cannot disregard things because reasons, because the feedback could be immediate and fatal. If this conscientious attitude translates to health, that would mean "going to all your yearly checkups" and "don't pooh-pooh any small symptoms because you are macho and true men don't care". I know far too many men who died of something treatable by ignoring it until it was too late. (Women, at least around me, tend to be a lot more careful about themselves.) I am now reading Michael Collins' biography - a talented writer btw. - and basically, they were used to very intrusive and systematic health checkups. I can see them developing a good habit out of this.
- glimshe 1y agoWeren't some people saying that yearly check-ups for healthy people with no symptoms are bad because they lead to overdiagnosing and thus worsening of outcomes?
- inglor_cz 1y agoIt might be different at 35 and 75.
- somenameforme 1y agoWith due respect, in practice it's essentially the exact opposite of what you're describing. During the Apollo program any sign of weakness or vulnerability would be a reason to ground an astronaut, very likely permanently. So they regularly concealed absolutely anything and everything that wasn't directly expected or related to the mission. This included various forms of sickness or injuries, space adaption sickness, psychological issues, and more. Alan Shepard even managed to conceal symptoms of what would later turn out to be Meniere's disease. Aldrin was friggin touring around Antarctica in his 80s where he ended having to get on an emergency evac! It's not exactly a caution first attitude to life. In general the secret to longevity is healthy living, good diet, and a positive outlook on life. Even the Ancient Greeks had countless people living into their 80s and beyond.