Do you want to lie in bed for 70 days and not have a worry in the world? NASA has the job for you. They are looking for candidates to help them further their research into space and all they need you to do is lie in bed. You can do anything you want, as long as you continue to lie down. You can Skype with your friends, read books, play video games and even work if your company will allow you to do so remotely. Sounds like an easy R175,050 if you ask us.
The study will help NASA improve the health of astronauts in space, meaning you could be a contributing factor to conquering the outer limits.
The beds that test subjects will be lying in are tilted at a six degree angle and are meant to simulate the effects of long duration space flight.
Dr Roni Cromwell, senior scientist on the bed rest study says:
By putting someone in bed for a long time, there is also atrophy of the muscle and atrophy of bone density.
She explains that when astronauts go into space their muscles take a vacation because they don’t need to use them in the same way they would on Earth.
Joe Neigut, Flight Analog project manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston said:
What the bed rest does to their [test subjects] physiology and how the exercise countermeasures benefits their physiology helps us better prepare and protect astronauts when they are in space. In fact how it affects the physiology can be applied to everyone on earth.
After 70 days of bed rest, volunteers are then asked to do various exercises similar to those an astronaut would do, like running on a treadmill and doing squats. But get this, the treadmill would be a vertical treadmill and the squats would be done horizontally! Crazy!
Dr Cromwell added:
We also ask them [test subjects] to do tasks that astronauts would do when they land on a planetary surface. Simulate getting out of a vehicle. Moving heavy objects at a short distance. This gives us an idea as to their functional capabilities.
Want to sign up? The whole program takes 15 weeks, this includes the 70 days of bed rest, pre-testing and post-testing. NASA says they are looking for people who are not mentally prepared to lie in bed for 70 days, and have the same physical features as astronauts.
Still want to give it a go? You can sign up here.
[Source: Forbes]
