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Can Your Gut Leak In Space? Probably. Here's What That Means For Astronatus

UC Riverside's Dr. Declan McCole studied the effects of microgravity on the gut. Photo: UC Riverside
UC Riverside's Dr. Declan McCole studied the effects of microgravity on the gut. Photo: UC Riverside

Space travel could cause a leaky gut. A new medical study found that microgravity reduces an important barrier in the stomach which could mean nasty germs could get inside Astronaut’s bodies on deep-space missions. We’ll chat with UC Riverside medical researcher Dr. Declan McCole about the gut biomes of astronauts and how his research can all help our guts down here on Earth.

Then, how do you count the planets?  The answer to how many planets there are isn’t a simple one. On this week’s “I’d Like to Know” segment, we’ll talk to our panel of planetary experts about the task of counting the planets and the controversies surrounding their definitions.

Brendan Byrne is Central Florida Public Media's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing the organization's internship program. Byrne also hosts Central Florida Public Media's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration, and the weekly news roundup podcast "The Wrap."