Chris Mason, a geneticist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, has a vision for the future that extends far beyond Earth. In his book, “The Next 500 Years: Engineering life to reach new worlds,” Mason outlines his plan for humans to establish bases on the moon, Mars, and the outer moons of the solar system, and eventually travel to a planet orbiting a different star.
What sets Mason’s ideas apart is his realization that human bodies are not well suited for life in space. Factors like radiation and toxic gases can pose significant challenges. To overcome this, Mason proposes making genetic modifications to enhance our resilience off-world.
Mason’s understanding of the topic is rooted in his involvement as a principal investigator in the NASA twin study, which examined the effects of space on astronaut Scott Kelly and his identical twin, Mark. The study provided valuable insights into the physiological changes that occur during long-duration space missions.
Currently, Mason is actively researching how to genetically modify human cells to improve their resilience in space. While his plan spans 500 years, he is already laying the groundwork for these genetic advancements.
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