The major problem is high-energy space radiation. Scientists know that cosmic rays can damage DNA. They had just overlooked how bad it could get. A team re-examined how damaged DNA can cause cancer.

Related: Scientists find highest energy cosmic ray electrons ever seen As muons ... Naturally present in the environment, muons don't damage cells and DNA like even low doses of X-rays do.

DNA integrity is always under attack from environmental agents like skin cancer-causing UV rays. How do DNA repair mechanisms detect and repair damaged DNA, and what happens when they fail?

Astronauts experience cosmic radiation in the form of flashes of light when they close their eyes and protecting their DNA from damaging effects is a serious concern for NASA. It’s impossible to ...

Especially the latter poses a great challenge for long-term space travel, and so people are working on various concepts to protect astronauts’ DNA from being smashed by cosmic rays. This has ...