11 Craziest Things About Living In Space
4. ...But They Get Weaker
Despite the cartoonish superhero physique, people living in space actually get weaker over time.
Effortlessly gliding around the space station may sound like a dream come true, but it actually poses some very real dangers. Because their bodies are no longer fighting against gravity just to remain upright, the muscles begin to atrophy and become weaker the longer they spend up there.
Obviously, this isn't a terrible thing whilst they are still living in space, as it takes much less strength and energy to move about, but the trouble begins when they come back down to earth and can no longer support themselves under the influence of gravity.
To counter this, astronauts aboard the ISS are required to do rigorous daily resistance workouts in a specially adapted space gym for up to two and a half hours a day. If only we could muster up that kind of dedication back here on earth, then we really would have superhero physiques.