Prof to Be on Quirks and Quarks
March 03, 2011 - In the News
Prof. Leah Bent will be featured on CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks Saturday at noon discussing her latest research project involving the astronauts on the current space mission.
The human health and nutritional sciences professor is testing the changes in skin sensitivity on the bottom of astronauts' feet before and after flight to determine which balance receptors are more active when the body is in zero gravity.
Astronauts feet tingle and become more sensitive during a space mission because the body must rely more heavily on the feet for balance in zero gravity. By examining which areas on the bottom of the foot become more sensitive in space, Bent is hoping she can determine the spots that play a vital role in balance. This information can then be used to improve balance in seniors.
Hosted by Bob McDonald, Quirks and Quarks is an award-winning radio science program heard by a national audience of nearly 500,000 people in Canada and thousands more across the globe through a podcast. Every week, the program presents the people behind the latest discoveries in the physical and natural sciences and examines the political, social, environmental and ethical implications of new developments in science and technology.
