Dehydrated food, isolation and space suits: This is a Spanish scientist’s ‘journey to Mars’.

Ever since I was young, I wanted to ALBA SANCHEZ MONTALVO He has always loved everything related to space. I was curious to know what was out there How about the moon, galaxies or space travel?. But a few years later, upon entering high school, he faced a harsh reality: physics and mathematics were not his thing, so he decided to leave the place and focus on research, especially in biotechnology, which was his life. What he didn’t imagine was that years later he would get a chance Astronaut suit What a simulation to do Space travel to Mars Thanks for the project March UCLouvain, Eight researchers have traveled to the Utah desert in the United States to recreate the Red Planet’s environment.

This is a project to be part of mars association, A non-profit initiative to send researchers and students from Belgium’s Catholic University of Louvain to a space station set up in the Utah desert to conduct scientific simulations and experiments. At this point, check for its exceptional geographical and biological conditions Alpha spent two weeks (March 31 to April 14) with other colleagues studying Mars-like regions. An experience, he promises, It changed his life. Because it made him reconsider his immediate future. Although it wasn’t about space, at least the simulation helped him get rid of his childhood thorn.

This may interest you: Premature aging and risk of neurodegenerative disease: Space travel affects astronauts

“It was a little contact with that world because I had the opportunity to visit ESA (European Space Agency) centers, attend seminars and meet other researchers. “It was a unique experience and changed my life on many levels,” he says. Biotechnologist and researcher Grenadine aged 28 years.

In those two “intense weeks”. They did not access social networks and did not communicate And two hours a day on the Internet to send work reports, Alba promises to have time to think about her personal and professional life, and she still has a few months in Belgium to complete her PhD on immunoglobulin A. Consider working in research centers on the impact on patients with chronic osteoarthritis A study of the immune system of astronauts.

During their sojourn in the desert, their main activity was to get up early, at 7:00 a.m., taking advantage of the morning hours to avoid the midday heat. including suits and diving suits, The atmosphere was unbreathable. Although the food was not the same as that of the astronauts, it was there freeze-dried, That is, it went through a dehydration process, which allows the food to be preserved for a long time without changing the taste.

In the afternoon, each researcher devoted himself to his scientific project. Alpha’s, in particular, took blood and saliva samples from his colleagues Study the inflammatory response, Astronauts often suffer from some pain and swelling during spaceflight, especially in the head, due to increased blood flow in the skull, in addition to the health problems they suffer when they return to Earth. Although other parameters affect the location Absence of gravity or radiation, The simulation helped him analyze how team isolation and potential stress from work impact, among other aspects.

This may interest you: “Jendal Hospital a disgrace”: Family of patient with neurological disorder asks center to move due to limited resources

Alpha recognizes that it is Chances are slim in Spain This has motivated her to study abroad, which is why she is demanding more investment in science and research. It also highlights the importance of the role of women in science, as despite important progress in terms of equality in recent years, there is still a long way to go in this area.

They have been accurate Two women scientists marked their careers: His internship tutor for his CSIC degree and chairman of the jury for his Ph.D. For this reason, she considers it necessary for the new generation to have women as references, “who can inspire and admire other researchers.”