Does space travel affect Genetic? In a landmark study, a group of U.S. scientists from Johns Hopkins, Stanford University and other institutions has found no long-lasting, major differences between the epigenomes of astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent a year in space aboard the International Space Station, and his twin brother, Mark, who remained on Earth. What this study tells us about the perils of space travel on a person’s genome is not clear, say the scientists, but research on additional astronauts in space could eventually help scientists predict the types of medical risks they may face on long space journeys where people experience less gravity than on Earth, exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays and other risks to health. Johns Hopkins scientists Andrew Feinberg and Lindsay Rizzardi answer questions about the research.

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