As space agencies like NASA and private space companies like SpaceX are busy preparing plans for Mars colonization missions, a scientist who was the principal investigator on NASA's "twin project" to measure the effect space travel has on the human body had talked about the necessity of modifying human DNA to prepare the species for long space missions.
Human DNA to be altered for future space missions
Chris Mason, a geneticist at Cornell University in New York believes that it is very much necessary to adapt our bodies to cope with the harsh conditions on Mars and other distant planets. Mason has already experimentally modified human DNA for future space flights.
During his research, Mason added elements of DNA from the practically unkillable tardigrade to create a hybrid superhuman cell. It should be noted that tardigrades are the most resilient animals known, and they could survive almost all kinds of harsh environments.
Mason, during his research, picked up one particular gene named Dsup. Dsup is responsible for protecting DNA against the damage caused by long space voyages.
"In my lab, we've now permanently integrated Dsup into a human genome and a new cell line in our lab. We can get up to 80 percent reduction in DNA damage compared with unmodified cells when we fire heavy radiation at these cells," Mason told the New Scientist.
Mason strongly believes that humankind has the ability to adapt to different environments when needed, and he suggests that genetic modification could be used to make it practical.
Is the human mission to Mars suicidal?
In last year's Humans to Mars summit, Elon Musk had suggested that the human mission to Mars could be very challenging, and it may even result in the death of earthlings on the Red Planet.
"I want to emphasize that this is a very hard and dangerous difficult thing. Not for the faint of heart. Good chance you'll die, it's going to be tough going, but it will be pretty glorious if it works out," said Musk.
Samantha Rolfe, a popular astrobiologist had also claimed that human mission to Mars could turn suicidal. Rolfe warned that space agencies could be actually risking the lives of astronauts, as space radiations could negatively impact the health of travelers.
