Mission to Mars May Warp Astronauts Brains" by Nsikan Akpan One day, space explorers might stroll along the red rocks of Mars. But radiation exposure during the trip may wipe away their memories of home. A new report says that cosmic rays can change the physical architecture of the mind’s nerves, harming the brain regions that govern memory. Cosmic rays, comprised of high-speed atomic particles, blanket the Milky Way galaxy. The radiation constantly bombards our planet, but the Earth’s magnetic field and its atmosphere save us from the most dangerous rays. People who venture into deep space aren’t so lucky, as cosmic rays can easily penetrate a spaceship’s metallic hull or a space helmet. So before NASA sends anyone into deep space, they want to figure out the possible long-term ramifications of exposure to cosmic radiation. One item of concern is radiation-induced memory loss, says cancer researcher Charles Limoli of the University of California Irvine, who led the report published May 1 in Science Advances. Cancer radiotherapy can impair human memory and spawn dementia, which is what drew Limoli’s team to the research. “Upon penetrating the body, these charged particles leave tracks of damage on the same scale as neurons,” Limoli said. “So we reasoned that [cosmic] irradiation might elicit long lasting structural changes in neurons that would lead to cognitive impairment.” © NewsHour Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved. 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. Like the first excerpt, the goal of the author of the second excerpt is to compare and contrast the experiences of astronauts. Like the first excerpt, the goal of the author of the second excerpt is to compare and contrast the experiences of astronauts. 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. 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. Like the first excerpt, the goal of the author of the second excerpt is to challenge widely accepted views of cosmic radiation. Like the first excerpt, the goal of the author of the second excerpt is to challenge widely accepted views of cosmic radiation. Skip to navigation

1 answer

Based on the excerpts provided, the authors' goals can be summarized as follows:

The first excerpt discusses the potential dangers of cosmic radiation for astronauts traveling to Mars, particularly its possible effects on memory and cognitive function. It presents scientific findings related to radiation exposure and its impact on the brain, without offering a solution to the problem.

Therefore, the most accurate comparison of the goals of the authors would be:

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

However, since there is no mention of a second excerpt or author in your query (only the first excerpt is provided), please clarify if you meant to include two separate excerpts for comparison. If you can provide the second excerpt, I would be glad to help you analyze the goals of both authors effectively!