In this episode Ginny Smith chats with psychological and neuroscience researchers looking at the effects of gravity on the brain, specifically how human perception and motor skills are altered by working in a Zero G environment. It’s hoped their research will aid astronauts in space as well as, potentially, stroke sufferers on Earth. After doing the tests these scientists are working on on both the ground and the parabolic flight, Dr Helen Czerski gets the first hand opinion of how working in space alters your motor skills from astronaut Major Tim Peake who spent 165 days aboard the ISS. 

There is certain science that just can’t be done in Earth’s gravity and, short of living on the ISS, the only way to conduct these experiments is on a parabolic flight campaign. 

New episodes each Wednesday at 8:30pm and on demand.

Very special thanks to Tim Peake.

With special thanks to the Neil Meville, Rosita Suensen and the great team at the European Space Agency and Anne-Clotilde Duchesne and the equally great team at Novespace for having us as part of the campaign.

Zero G flight footage shot by Melanie Cowan.

Produced and Directed by Trent Burton

If you’d like to directly support what we do at the Cosmic Shambles Network visit https://patreon.com/cosmicshambles

External footage of the Zero G plane courtesy of Novespace