Viruses in Space: Cancer at Home

What’s the greatest challenge to space exploration? If science fiction is correct, pioneering space is a matter of figuring out the needed technology, but in her groundbreaking talk, Madison Campbell invites us to consider the impact conditions in space have on the human body over time. From radiation to stress and a compromised immune system activating viruses like Epstein-Barr—latent in most humans—space comes with a high price for those brave enough to venture into it. Campbell’s talk illuminates this little-recognized challenge, and in doing so, poses a new question: Can studying the illnesses of space travelers help us unlock the cure for earth dwellers?