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Why do bones and muscles change when astronauts float?

Floating removes much of the ordinary work of holding yourself up and moving against a load. Bones and muscles adapt to that change, which is why an astronaut’s daily exercise is also part of an ongoing experiment in maintaining the body in space.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • Which loads disappear when someone floats, and which can exercise restore?
  • Why do mission length and countermeasures matter when comparing results?

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