If you think you cannot do justice to any job on this evil planet, you’re probably unaware about the one at Institute for Space Medicine and Physiology (Medes) in Toulouse, France. Here, scientists are paying 16,000 euros in search for 24 fit and healthy men who would take part in an experiment that will study the effects of microgravity – a state of virtual weightlessness – on their bodies.
The researchers have nearly completed the first phase of their experiment and now they are recruiting subjects to start the second wave in which they would lie on their backs for two months. Yes, you heard that right – the laziest job of the century!
Eligible men, aged between 20-45 who do not smoke, have no allergies and boast maximum BMI between 22 and 27, will be paid the whopping sum to volunteer for this study. They’ll have to take part in a series of tests for two weeks before and after spending two months in bed – which would be three months of testing overall!
How Microgravity research actually works?
According to Dr Arnaud Beck, the experiment — named “Cocktail” — aims to look at the harmful effects of prolonged weightlessness on the human body, which is what astronauts experience when they’re in space.
During the 60-day period, the subjects will have to remain in bed, with their head slightly inclined downwards at less than six degrees. This will simulate the effects of weightlessness and shift blood towards to upper body, affecting blood volume, heart performance, and blood pressure.
Dr Beck said, “Under these conditions, the cardiovascular system is impacted, it is no longer able to provide the same effort as before departure or before bed rest”. “When they try to get up, their static position is altered, they are more arched”.
The tests conducted after the 60-day period will establish the consequences of the dormant period while allowing the volunteers to recover.
Effects Of Weightlessness?
After spending a long time in space, astronauts experience weightlessness which ultimately leads to strange symptoms such as loss of bone density, weakness in legs and poor eyesight.
Thus, with the help of this study, researchers plan to combat these effects. They’ll be giving anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory food supplements to half to the subjects, while the other half or the control group, won’t get anything.
While you may think lying in a bed would make a great job, this one might not be as easy as it sounds.