by Nsikan Akpan

Question

One day, space explorers might stroll along the redrocks of Mars. But radiation exposure during the tripmay wipe away their memories of home.
A new report says that cosmic rays can change thephysical architecture of the mind’s nerves, harmingthe brain regions that govern memory.
Cosmic rays, comprised of high-speed atomicparticles, blanket the Milky Way galaxy. Theradiation constantly bombards our planet, but theEarth’s magnetic field and its atmosphere save usfrom the most dangerous rays.
People who venture into deep space aren’t so lucky,as cosmic rays can easily penetrate a spaceship’smetallic hull or a space helmet. So before NASAsends anyone into deep space, they want to figureout the possible long-term ramifications of exposureto cosmic radiation.
One item of concern is radiation-induced memoryloss, says cancer researcher Charles Limoli of theUniversity of California Irvine, who led the reportpublished May 1 in Science Advances. Cancerradiotherapy can impair human memory and spawndementia, which is what drew Limoli’s team to theresearch.
“Upon penetrating the body, these charged particlesleave tracks of damage on the same scale asneurons,” Limoli said. “So we reasoned that [cosmic]irradiation might elicit long lasting structural changesin neurons that would lead to cognitive impairment.”
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Passage 2
"In Space, Take Protein Pills, Get Sriracha On"
by Talia Mindich

“(Astronauts) may be massively adapted to a wide range of odors and really unable to smell anything new,” said Dalton, who has done research regarding smell for NASA. “But that of course hasn’t really been confirmed because nobody’s done smell testing in space, unfortunately.”

Microgravity has a unique effect on each crewmember. Wheelock so craved the fragrance of fresh fruit that he kept an apple that was delivered during a resupply in his sleep compartment for three weeks. NASA astronaut Don Pettit, on the other hand, said food tastes better in space.

It’s like eating in waist-deep snow on a camping trip, said NASA astronaut Don Pettit, who has logged more than 370 days in space. “You’ve been working hard all day, and the food tastes really good.”

Pettit enjoyed beef brisket, ham-steak, and other meats topped with Sriracha or Tabasco.

NASA typically spends about two years developing a freeze-dried or thermo-stabilized formulation of a dish to be approved by food testers on the ground. But the only way to know how a dish will taste in orbit is to taste it in orbit.

“That’s just the unfortunate truth,” said Vickie Kloeris, manager of NASA’s ISS Food System. “Crew members come back and say, I tasted this product on the ground and I thought I would like it, so I put it in my bonus containers, but when I got on orbit I didn’t like it so much. And the opposite:…I loved it and I wish I’d had more of it.”

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Question
Use the excerpts to answer the question. Select Passage 1 and Passage 2.

Based on the excerpts, how do the goals of the authors compare?

(1 point)
Responses

Unlike the first excerpt, the goal of the author of the second excerpt is to offer a solution to a significant issue.
Unlike the first excerpt, the goal of the author of the second excerpt is to offer a solution to a significant issue.

Unlike the first excerpt, the goal of the author of the second excerpt is to present opposing views on a neutral effect of space travel.

Answer 1

The most accurate comparison of the authors' goals based on the excerpts is:

Unlike the first excerpt, the goal of the author of the second excerpt is to offer a solution to a significant issue.

In Passage 1, the focus is on the potential harmful effects of cosmic radiation during deep space travel, specifically its impact on memory and cognitive functions. The author presents a concern about the risks involved in long-term exposure to cosmic rays.

In Passage 2, the author discusses the challenges of food preferences and sensory experiences in space and describes NASA's efforts to develop suitable food options for astronauts, which can be seen as addressing the issue of astronaut nutrition and quality of life in space.