Long-term weightlessness causes genes to malfunction - finding could have implications for manned space flight

Long-term weightlessness causes genes to malfunction - finding could have implications for manned space flight | Mail Online: "Astronauts on long space journeys such as a mission to Mars could experience genetic malfunctions, say scientists.

Experiments using magnetic fields to simulate long-term weightlessness found that being weightless caused genes to malfunction - affecting genes involved in reproduction, the immune system and stress.

The researchers used flies in the experiment, as their rapid life cycles and small size makes them ideal. The experiments were conducted on Earth using superconducting magnets."