Conversations That Matter: Re-engineering the human body for space travel

“To boldly go where no one has gone before.”

The phrase was inspired by a 1958 White House pamphlet that which highlighted humanity’s inherent urge to explore the unknown. It also was in the opening of the TV show Star Trek.

As an aspiration, it drives the space programs of many countries and a growing number of companies.

Here’s the challenge, says Christopher E. Mason. “While we can build machines that can survive in space, the human body was not made for space — at least not yet.”

Mason is the principal investigator of the NASA twins study, where 10 separate teams studied an astronaut and his identical twin.

“We observed the physiological, molecular and cognitive changes that happened to Scott Kelly, who spent a year in space. We monitored the changes in his body compared to his identical twin Mark, who stayed on Earth.

“From that study, we’re working to mitigate stresses, changes, and new diseases the body may encounter during long-term space flight. This work is the foundation of a 500-year plan to re-engineer biology so that life can be possible on other planets.”

Mason, the Genome B.C. 2025 Don Rix distinguished keynote speaker, joined a Conversation That Matters about the human body and its ability to adapt to long term voyages.

Learn More about our guest’s career at careersthatmatter.ca

Join us Nov. 17 for Conversations Live, on international students & Canada’s labour gap.