These cancers are thought to result from energetic particles striking DNA, breaking strands, and interfering with gene replication.
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In preparation for longer spaceflight, scientists have designed shields to deflect harmful energetic particles, and continue to study the ill-effect of weightlessness on astronauts.
The spacecraft was similar to one that would carry humans, and scientists were interested in measuring galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles on the trip.
Clusters like El Gordo release energetic particles that have an effect on the cosmic microwave background, the extremely faint glow left over from the Big Bang that permeates the Universe.
It will examine neutrons (the electrically neutral components of atomic nuclei) that are ejected from the lunar surface after being bombarded by cosmic rays (energetic particles that constantly streak through space).
Astronauts would also be bombarded with solar energetic particles, which get accelerated close to the sun as a result of solar flares and coronal mass ejections that shoot portions of the sun into space.
It has been detecting a rise in the number of high-energy particles, or cosmic rays, coming towards it from interstellar space, while at the same time recording a decline in the intensity of energetic particles coming from behind, from our Sun.
The Sun's magnetic field and solar wind - mainly in the form of electrons and protons coming out of the Sun - protects the entire Solar System by acting as a sort of shield from cosmic rays (very energetic particles and radiation from outer space).
Ten of the detected particles were energetic enough to strike the second layer, so that their velocities and trajectories could also be calculated.
Some particles, however, are energetic enough to puncture the top layer and strike the second layer.
When the Alcubierre-driven ship decelerates from superluminal speed, the particles its bubble has gathered are released in energetic outbursts.
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