In the future, some of us will be wearing clothes made of bacteria that change colors based on the level of radiation we’re exposed to. At least, that’s the hope of scientists and a fashion designer in Scotland.<\/p>\n
Too much ionizing radiation exposure<\/a> can cause long-term health problems, including cancer and reproductive issues. Radiation exposure is considered especially risky for astronauts because galactic cosmic radiation (GCR, or “space radiation”) is strong, and space travelers have less protection from it<\/a> when they leave the relative safety of Earth’s magnetic field<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Researchers behind a project called Pigmented Space Pioneers are trying to solve this problem by helping space travelers gauge their risk. They’re making clothing fabric that’s treated with special types of bacteria that fade and change color after being exposed to radiation. To create predictable patterns, the team is using special needles and 3D printing<\/a> techniques.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n “Exposure to radiation breaks up the pigments in the bacteria, while similar exposure to radiation in humans breaks our DNA,” project leader Gilles Bailet, a lecturer in space technology at the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering, said in a statement<\/a> from the University of Glasgow.<\/p>\n “For the bacteria, that means a reduction in their color saturation, but for us it means greater risk of genetic mutations and cancers,” Bailet added.<\/p>\n