http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/astronaut_coasters_030124 .html
Here's a story with a lot of twists and turns. Roller coasters and the ever-growing variety of palm-sweating theme park rides have been given an astronaut stamp of approval. New scientific studies have looked at g-forces associated with thrill rides. In past years, there have been reports of alleged brain injury and questions regarding overall theme park safety. But studies recently conducted by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Exponent Failure Analysis Associates report such rides are safe and present no health risk to the public. Two former shuttle astronauts -- Rhea Seddon and Robert "Hoot" Gibson -- took part in the assessment that included a panel of scientists, physicians, and engineers. Six Flags, Incorporated commissioned the studies, issued on January 21. The studies were carried out in independent fashion, a requirement agreed to in writing by the theme park organization and the two research organizations. G-force physiology "I have analyzed the data. I have studied the science," said Rhea Seddon, an emergency physician and former astronaut with three shuttle flights under her stethoscope. "I am a doctor and I am a mother of four children. I know, without a doubt, that enjoying the thrills of an amusement park is one of the safest activities that I can enjoy with my family," Seddon said in a Six Flags statement. Seddon retired from NASA in November 1997. She is now the assistant Chief Medical Officer of the Vanderbilt Medical Group in Nashville, Tennessee. Anyone who tries to compare the forces on a roller coaster to the ride on the Shuttle needs a short-course in g-force physiology, Seddon said. "The brief second or two of gravitational forces experienced on a roller coaster is nothing like the modest level but long duration g-forces that we experienced as astronauts," Seddon reported. "And, in fact, roller coasters impose fewer g-forces than sneezing or coughing," she said. Safe but scary Joining Seddon in giving scary roller coaster rides an A-OK for liftoff is husband, Robert "Hoot" Gibson. He flew five space missions, commanding four of those Space Shuttle treks before leaving NASA in November 1996 to pursue private business interests. "It sounds sensational to say a roller coaster pulls more g's than a space shuttle. But it is a truly meaningless statistic. We could also state that a sneeze or skipping rope involves more g-forces than riding a roller coaster or the space shuttle," Gibson said. Along with his shuttle flights, Gibson underscored his familiarity with g-forces in flying high-performance jet fighters for 30 years. He took note of "greying-out", "blacking-out" and "GLOC" - short for "G-Induced Loss of Consciousness," drawing from personal experience. There is absolutely no risk of any of these sorts of conditions while riding roller coasters, he said. Exposure to even high sustained and repeated g-exposures in jet fighters does not cause damage to humans, Gibson said. "Comparing roller coasters to shuttle missions or fighter jets is absurd, meaningless and unsubstantiated by science," he said. "What we do know, and what has been substantiated by science" Gibson added, "is that riding a roller coaster imposes less g-forces on the body than flopping down in a chair, sneezing or skipping rope. Ridding a roller coaster is far safer than many of our other ordinary daily activities." No public health issue On behalf of Exponent -- a scientific engineering research firm with offices in the U.S. and abroad -- Lee Dickinson stated: "We looked in detail at g-forces, government data, Six Flags data and the medical literature. We did not find anything to suggest that a public health issue exists." In particular, Dickinson concluded, g-forces on roller coasters are not a problem and the available government data do not support a problem. "For these reasons, Exponent concluded that, based on all available evidence, fixed-site amusement parks and roller coasters are safe." "Today, real science has been heard," said Gary Story, President and Chief Operating Officer of Six Flags, Inc. "The public deserves the truth and we in this industry have a responsibility to assure the public with solid scientific evidence," he said. The study findings were released earlier this week at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. xponent Wheeeeeeeeeee! Maru rob ________________________________ You are a fluke of the universe. You have no right to be here. And whether you can hear it or not, the universe is laughing behind your back. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
