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Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)
Published on: May 8, 2020
Space madness: the dreaded disease that never was.
1University of Pennsylvania, Department of History and Sociology of Science, Suite 303, Claudia Cohen Hall, 249 South 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6304, USA. matthew.hersch@gmail.com
Endeavour
|November 4, 2011
Summary
Early astronauts were not impulsive thrill-seekers as feared, but sane professionals. Psychological screening revealed astronauts could handle extreme space mission stresses, debunking
Area of Science:
- Aerospace Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Human Factors in Spaceflight
Background:
- In the late 1950s, psychiatrists evaluated candidates for America's first astronaut corps.
- There were significant concerns regarding the psychological stability of individuals selected for space missions.
Observation:
- Examiners anticipated astronauts might exhibit traits such as impulsivity, suicidal ideation, or aberrant sexual behavior.
- Psychological assessments were designed to identify potential psychological vulnerabilities to extreme environments.
Findings:
- Contrary to expectations, astronaut candidates demonstrated remarkable psychological resilience.
- Selected individuals were found to be sane, composed professionals capable of withstanding extraordinary levels of stress.
Implications:
- The findings challenged prevailing fears of 'space madness' among early spacefarers.
- This research informed astronaut selection criteria and highlighted the psychological adaptability of humans to space environments.
- Debunked the myth of 'space madness' as a Hollywood-fueled cultural fear rather than a clinical reality.
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