Alarm as astronauts lose bone mass in space

PARIS: Astronauts lose decades’ worth of bone mass in space that many do not recover even after a year back on Earth, researchers said yesterday, warning that it could be a concern for future missions to Mars.

Previous research has shown astronauts lose between 1% to 2% of bone density for every month spent in space, as the lack of gravity takes the pressure off their legs when it comes to standing and walking.

The bone density lost by astronauts was equivalent to how much they would shed in several decades if they were back on Earth, researchers said.