WEIRD NEWS OF THE WEEK: Einstein's identical twin paradox to be tested in space by NASA

When one identical twin goes to space and the other stays at home, what differences will occur when the astronaut returns?

By Dave Lancaster |

16:12 16 April 2014

NASA is putting Albert Einstein's theory of relativity to the test and will set about proving his "twin theory" paradox that if one twin goes to space and the other stays at home, the astronaut will return from space younger than the other twin. 

 

In March 2015, the experiment will start to chart the long-term effect of space flight on the human body as NASA astronaut Scott Kelly will go on a one-year mission to ISS (the International Space Station), while his twin, Mark (who is a retired astronaut himself) gets to stay on earth ageing in the traditional manner. 

 

Craig Kundrot of NASA's Human Research Program at the Johnson Space Center, said: “We will be taking samples and making measurements of the twins before, during, and after the one-year mission.

 

“For the first time, we'll be able two individuals who are genetically identical.

 

“Each proposal is fascinating and could be a feature-length story of its own.

 

“We already know that the human immune system changes in space. It's not as strong as it is on the ground.

 

“In one of the experiments, Mark and Scott will be given identical flu vaccines, and we will study how their immune systems react.”

 

While NASA can't test the flow of time, they said that "just about everything else is covered, though.  NASA's Human Research Program recently announced the selection of 10 research proposals to study the twins' genetics, biochemistry, vision, cognition and much more."

 

"These will not be 10 individual studies," says Kundrot. "The real power comes in combining them to form an integrated picture of all levels from biomolecular to psychological.  We'll be studying the entire astronaut."