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Skin-tight space suits 'support astronauts' bones' (BBC)
By Smitha Mundasad
Health reporter, BBC News
Scientists have developed a skin-tight spacesuit to try to stop astronauts' spines expanding.
They hope the lightweight elastic material will mimic the force of gravity on the body.
Astronauts' spines can lengthen by up to 7cm (3in) with no gravity to compress the bones, painfully pulling on muscles and nerves.
Using designs by MIT, scientists at King's College London are refining the tailor-made suits for testing in space.
As astronauts' bones and muscles do less work to keep them upright once they experience weightlessness, they can also start to waste away.
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more: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-26458868
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