{"id":282160,"date":"2026-02-13T12:04:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T12:04:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/282160\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T12:04:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T12:04:08","slug":"scientist-explains-what-would-happen-if-a-baby-was-born-in-space-and-the-reality-is-eye-opening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/282160\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientist explains what would happen if a baby was born in space and the reality is eye-opening"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can a baby be born in space, and what would cosmic radiation actually do to a developing child? <\/p>\n

As humanity edges closer to missions to Mars, scientists are asking some surprisingly intimate questions about life beyond Earth. <\/p>\n

A round trip to the Red Planet would take long enough for conception, pregnancy and even birth to happen mid-journey. <\/p>\n

While the idea sounds a lot like science fiction, the biological reality is far more complicated.<\/p>\n

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Can a baby be born in space? Yes, but\u2026 <\/p>\n

On Earth, we have decades of medical research that help us estimate the odds of success at every stage. <\/p>\n

But in deep space, those odds may shift in ways we\u2019re only just beginning to understand.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Juan Encalada<\/p>\n

To answer whether it\u2019s technically possible for a baby to be born in space<\/a>, University of Leeds Professor Arun Vivian Holden<\/a> said that each step, from fertilization to organ development, has to happen in the right order.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with microgravity. <\/p>\n

In orbit, astronauts experience near-weightlessness<\/a>, which would certainly make conception more awkward.<\/p>\n

\"Can<\/a>Blue Origin<\/p>\n

Giving birth is already no easy task, and now you have to consider floating partners, drifting limbs, and no solid ground to brace against.<\/p>\n

Still, scientists believe that once an embryo successfully implants in the uterus, microgravity alone might not dramatically increase the risk of miscarriage. <\/p>\n

After all, a foetus already floats in amniotic fluid, cushioned in a womb that acts a bit like a natural zero-gravity chamber<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The bigger problem isn\u2019t floating, but cosmic radiation<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Here on Earth, we\u2019re shielded by our thick atmosphere and magnetic field. <\/p>\n

In deep space, that protection disappears. <\/p>\n

Cosmic rays, which are high-energy atomic nuclei traveling close to the speed of light, can slam into human tissue and damage cells.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>NASA<\/p>\n

If one strikes DNA, it can cause mutations.<\/p>\n

In early pregnancy, when embryonic cells are dividing rapidly, a single direct hit could potentially end development altogether.<\/p>\n

The odds of that happening are low, but not zero. <\/p>\n

And as pregnancy progresses, the growing uterus presents a larger target. <\/p>\n

Radiation exposure<\/a> could increase the risk of premature labour or long-term developmental problems.<\/p>\n

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There are plenty of long-term considerations to factor in<\/p>\n

Then comes long-term development. <\/p>\n

Babies rely on gravity to learn how to hold up their heads, sit, crawl and walk. <\/p>\n

Without a clear sense of \u2018up\u2019 and \u2018down,\u2019 those milestones could unfold very differently. <\/p>\n

\"Can<\/a>European Space Agency<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, continued radiation exposure could affect brain development, potentially influencing memory, cognition and behaviour.<\/p>\n

So, can a baby be born in space? <\/p>\n

In theory, yes. <\/p>\n

But until we can shield against radiation and fully understand how microgravity shapes development, it remains a bold and risky experiment humanity isn\u2019t quite ready to try.<\/p>\n

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