Unexplainable Why did we go back to the moon?
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Apr 13, 2026 Rebecca Boyle, science writer on space health, and Anne McClain, NASA astronaut with long ISS experience, join to unpack life beyond Earth. They talk about radiation risks, moon dust dangers, lunar habitat ideas like lava-tube shelters, and how lunar missions prep us for Mars. Short takes on human intuition in field science and practical tech spin-offs round out the conversation.
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Artemis Is An Experiment In Long-Term Off‑Earth Living
- Artemis aims not just for short visits but to learn how to live and work far from Earth over months and years.
- The program's steps (Artemis I–III, lunar lander tests, moon base) are explicitly framed as experiments to prepare for Mars by 2040.
Astronaut Anne McClain's Long ISS Experience
- Anne McClain spent over 300 days on the ISS and describes sensory surprises like seeing the sun as a blue flame and 'space fog' affecting cognition.
- She reports height increase of almost two inches in microgravity and persistent issues like vision changes and bone loss prompting daily exercise.
Radiation Risk Grows Dramatically Beyond Low Earth Orbit
- Low Earth orbit is partially protected by Earth's magnetic field, so radiation effects there understate risks beyond that shield.
- Apollo astronauts who left the magnetosphere showed more visual flashes and higher long‑term heart disease risk from short exposures.
