Stay Curious

SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AND UNLOCK ONE MORE ARTICLE FOR FREE.

Sign Up

VIEW OUR Privacy Policy


Discover Magazine Logo

WANT MORE? KEEP READING FOR AS LOW AS $1.99!

Subscribe

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

FIND MY SUBSCRIPTION
Advertisement

Bad Breath? Body Odor? Don't Bother Applying to China's Space Program

Explore hygiene in space and how China's space program enforces strict rules against bad body odor and dental issues.

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

It seems hygiene in space is all the rage. First, it was the odor-resistant underwear that one astronaut wore for a month. Now, China's space program has come up with 100 rules for potential 'nauts—and anyone with bad breath, dental cavities, body odor, or a family history of serious disease within the past three generations need not apply (apparently the program is looking only for "super human beings"). The BBC reports:

Shi Bing Bing, a doctor at the 454th Air Force Hospital in Nanjing, eastern China, said the new rules will help China send the best of the best into space. "Bad body odour will affect fellow colleagues in the narrow confines of a space shuttle," he said. "These astronauts could be regarded as super human beings." Mr Shi's hospital has now carried out a first screening of candidates to weed out those who fell foul of the 100 rules. ...

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe
Advertisement

0 Free Articles