How are astronauts protected from deadly radiation? • Earth.com

How are astronauts protected from deadly radiation?

10-26-2018


Today’s Video of the Day from the American Chemical Society series Reactions explains how astronauts stay safe from deadly radiation in space.

Astronauts wear space suits that protect them from UV radiation, but the biggest threat to humans in space comes from high-energy particles and gamma rays.

For example, galactic cosmic radiation, which are atomic nuclei from stars that exploded a million years ago, could pose a threat to astronauts by impacting their spacecraft.

Most of the time, astronauts are still close enough to the planet to be protected by Earth’s magnetic field. The biggest radiation risk comes to astronauts who leave the safety of this region.

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Video Credit: American Chemical Society

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