In the year 2024, the quest for fair treatment by different groups has begun to fail in an interesting way. The USA is experienceing a phenomenon whereby, almost passive agressively, leaders of institutions are disengenously granting “equality” by rejecting established scientific truths about biology. Ideological beliefs or psychological mechanisms that prioritize personal or collective identity have in places been winning over factual evidence[16][17].
Case in point, NASA has proposed a maximum career-long limit of 600 mSv (0.600 Sv) for the space radiation astronauts can receive.[18] Previously, exposure limits varied by age and gender; for instance, a 55-year-old male astronaut had a limit of 400 mSv, while a 35-year-old female astronaut was limited to 120 mSv. The new uniform limit of 600 mSv applies to all astronauts, regardless of gender or age, thus simplifying the standards and allowing for “greater inclusivity in mission assignments” and more cancer. This shift is rooted in a “commitment to equity” but the bioloical reality is not one of equity.
Real Biological Differences in Radiation Tolerance
- Women generally have a higher percentage of radiosensitive tissue in their bodies, for example, breast tissue. Studies indicate that the risk of developing cancer from radiation exposure is significantly higher for women than for men receiving the same dose of radiation.[15]
- Studies in animals have furthermore clearly shown that IR exposure affects males and females differently.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
- The female reproductive system, including ovaries, is more sensitive to radiation damage than male reproductive organs. The ovaries are particularly vulnerable to ionizing radiation. Studies indicate that the lethal dose (LD50) for human oocytes is estimated to be below 2 Gy. This means that exposure to doses around this level can significantly impact ovarian function, potentially leading to infertility or premature ovarian failure. The effective sterilizing doses vary with age; for instance, younger women have a higher tolerance to radiation compared to older women, who may experience sterility at lower doses.[19][20][21]
Looking at the research, and assuming that leaders making decisions have as well, we might imagine that someone at NASA resents female astronauts, and so, is helping them out in a way that actually preferentially harms them.
What’s next, one-size-fits-all space suits?
If NASA’s leading scientists struggle to differentiate between equitable radiation safety and equal dose limits for different genders, the irrational choice raises doubts about the agency’s ability to meet its complex objectives. There is hope for a return to rationality in this critical area.
Read More
[1] https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2021/06/nasa-should-update-astronaut-radiation-exposure-limits-improve-communication-of-cancer-risks
[2] https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/radiation/
[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214552421000584
[4] https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/26155/chapter/5
[5] https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022JRP….42a0502V/abstract
[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15063138
[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15249225
[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15555557
[9] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16019925
[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16272168
[11] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18823940
[12] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18508093
[13] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20478395
[14] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27375442
[15] https://www.iaea.org/resources/rpop/health-professionals/radiology/mammography/screening
[16] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denialism
[17] https://cmm.ucsd.edu/research/labs/varki/denial/index.html
[18] https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2021/06/nasa-should-update-astronaut-radiation-exposure-limits-improve-communication-of-cancer-risks
[19] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1519954/
[20] https://www.aaem.pl/Effect-of-ionizing-radiation-on-the-female-reproductive-system,112837,0,2.html
[21] https://www.aaem.pl/pdf-112837-47014?filename=Effect+of+ionizing.pdf