American brainboxes funded by NASA say they have found a way to deal with one of the most severe problems of space flight - that is, the way one's bones gradually become as flimsy as dry twigs after long exposure to microgravity.
According to researchers at the University of Washington, the problem of bone loss in microgravity is very serious indeed. Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) lose bone in key areas - for instance the hip, often one of the first parts of the human skeleton to break up under stress - ten times faster than post-menopausal women do.
More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/23/astronaut_bone_loss_solution/