Cosmic Ray Immunity?

Everyone on earth is being constantly bombarded by cosmic rays from outer space--but only after the earth's atmosphere has smashed the rays' atomic particles until they are harmless. Scientists have long feared that if men penetrated the upper atmosphere, cosmic rays might harm them, perhaps causing eye cataracts or destroying nerve cells.

Amid intensified talk of sending satellites and even man-bearing rockets into outer space, scientists got reason to hope last week that the danger of cosmic radiation has been overestimated. Living animals sent aloft in balloons last year from Sault Sainte Marie, Mich, have shown no adverse physical or mental effects from primary cosmic radiation, reported Major David G. Simons, director of this research project for the Air Research and Development Command. After studying the animals for six months, scientists could report only one definite effect attributable to cosmic rays: damage to hair-follicle pigment cells caused some black rats to grow white hair. The report's tentative conclusion: "A traveler in the stratosphere should be able to perform "duties in a normal manner with no serious aftereffects."

The evidence is inconclusive, and scientists are continuing their trial flights. From International Falls, Minn, last week, they released a huge plastic balloon carrying 192 mice in two metal gondolas. Rising to 115,000 feet, the balloon was tracked by airplane and radio-directed truck until it came down--26 hours later and about 125 miles away--near Middle River, Minn. Its passengers, all alive and comfortable, were shipped to university and Government laboratories for study.

Biologists have already studied balloon-borne white and black mice, rats, guinea pigs, monkeys, chicken eggs, human cancer tissues and fungi, hope, before the tests end this summer, to examine snakes and lizards which have been in the stratosphere. They will continue to watch the animals carefully for hidden effects, e.g., damage to the reproductive system, or shortening of life expectancy. By charting generations of molds, which grow in a relatively short time, they hope soon to solve one of the biggest mysteries about cosmic rays: whether they cause genetic mutations. If the results of the tests are as favorable as the early, ones, one of man's major fears about venture into outer space will be allayed.

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