AN artificial human cell that records the number and energy of
interplanetary cosmic rays will be a passenger on board Russia鈥檚 Mars 96 space
probe, due to be launched next month. The information will help scientists to
assess the dangers from radiation facing any future astronauts bound for the Red
Planet.
At the heart of the device is a low-pressure gas that simulates the nucleus
of a human cell. The cell was built by researchers at Pacific Northwest
Laboratory in Washington State and Texas A&M University.
The device will measure how much energy the 鈥渘ucleus鈥� absorbs from an
incoming cosmic ray and then estimate how much damage the radiation would cause
in a real cell.
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