Search articles from thousands of Examiners
Write for us
Washington DC Pets Philadelphia Animal Advocate Examiner
Philadelphia Animal Advocate Examiner

NASA to irradiate live monkeys

November 6, 1:57 PMPhiladelphia Animal Advocate ExaminerMegan Drake
2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe


Get alerts when there is a new article from the Philadelphia Animal Advocate Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.
Email Address


  Include other special offers from Examiner.com
Terms of Use


  Photo of squirrel monkeys from Google Images

NASA has decided to take quite a few steps backwards in its quest to study the effect of radiation on humans in space flight by exposing squirrel monkeys to doses of radiation. NASA has not experimented on live animals since the 1970's.

NASA's Space Regulation Analysis Group website states: "As NASA ponders the feasibility of sending manned spaceflight missions back to the Moon or to other planets, radiation protection for crew members remains one of the key technological issues which must be resolved."

For those of us who are not aeronautical engineers, the reason radiology studies are important to space travel is due to the inherent risk of cancer and other illnesses caused by radiation exposure. Earth's magnetic field provides a protective bubble for people on the ground and most of the time for spaceships in low-Earth orbit, like the International Space Station. Currently, the sun is in a quiet phase of its 11-year cycle therefore, astronauts face a relatively low risk of dangerous radiation exposure. As the sun heads into a period of maximum activity in 2010 or 2011 the risk increases.

NASA's new study will involve exposing 18 to 28 squirrel monkeys to a low dose of the type of radiation that astronauts traveling to Mars can expect to encounter. The study goals are to determine how radiation impacts the monkeys' central nervous systems and behaviors over time.  The monkeys are trained to perform a variety of tasks and will be tested to see how the exposure affects their performance.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is calling for NASA to halt these cruel and unnecessary experiments. If you believe exposing monkeys to repeated doses of radiation is cruel, please contact NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr. and ask him to stop these experiments before they start!

Or, you can call him at 202-358-0000. Be sure to include the following points in your communication:

  • I support the mission of NASA.
  • Space radiation studies involving the use of live animals, however, are cruel and pointless.
  • Genetic and physiological differences between humans and monkeys make this type of research ineffectual.
  • Monkeys are sentient beings who experience pain and suffering.

If you like what you've read from the Philadelphia Animal Advocate Examiner, consider subscribing; it's FREE and you will receive an email with every newly published article. Your privacy is fully respected and your email address and information is kept private.
 

Sources: Discovery.com News, PCRM, Florida Today.com

For more info: 21st century animal testing

 


Get Twitter Buttons

Comments

Name:


Comments:
characters left

NOTE: Do Not Alter These Fields:

Year in Review
What will you remember from 2009? See the Pets Year in Review.
Holiday Guide
Examiners spread the seasonal cheer with the Examiner.com Holiday Guide.

Recent Articles

Saturday, December 26, 2009
The following letter was found on the South Jersey Craig's List, dated December 23, 2009. Powerful, brutally honest and disturbing to say the least, …
Friday, December 25, 2009
As a tribute to the foster mom of my adopted girl, Rozie here is a poem found while trolling the internet. The sentiment is one I suspect only animal …

Related Slideshows