A recent report from Science Daily, sourced from Northwestern University, uncovers a new form of melanin synthesized by scientists that has the ability to protect human tissue from X-rays during medical treatment and spaceflight.
“Northwestern University researchers have synthesized a new form of melanin enriched with selenium. Called selenomelanin, this new biomaterial shows extraordinary promise as a shield for human tissue against harmful radiation.
“Given the increased interest in space travel, and the general need for lightweight, multifunctional and radioprotective biomaterials, we’ve become excited about the potential of melanin,” said Northwestern’s Nathan Gianneschi, who led the research. “It occurred to our postdoctoral fellow Wei Cao that melanin containing selenium would offer better protection than other forms of melanin. That brought up the intriguing possibility that this as-yet undiscovered melanin may very well exist in nature, being used in this way. So we skipped the discovery part and decided to make it ourselves.”
The report goes on to say, “Unwanted exposure to radiation occurs during many common activities, from air travel to X-ray diagnosis and clinical radiation therapy. It’s an even greater consideration in extreme cases like a nuclear reactor malfunction or human space travel. NASA’s landmark “Twins Study” showed damage to astronaut Scott Kelly’s DNA from his year in orbit. An astronaut on a Mars mission could receive up to 700 times more radiation than on Earth. Compared to the weight and bulk of traditional radioprotective materials like lead, melanin it is lighter and more flexible in how it can be used. Melanin samples are currently in orbit at the International Space Station, being studied by another research team for the material’s response to radiation exposure.”
No wonder Melanin is worth more than gold.
Nasa is using it. The U.S. Military is using. Scientists are constantly experimenting with it and corporations are funding research projects to develop melanated products.
Melanin is mostly being utilized for its ability to store energy, protect against radiation, enhance conductivity, and weapons manufacturing. Those definitely aren’t the only ways Melanin is being exploited.
Just think about this for a second, at one time Melanin was literally being extracted from Black people for scientific experiments. For all we know it still could be happening.
Now Melanin is being used so astronauts (more than likely white people) can travel around space safe from radiation, with a biochemical (melanin) that black people and nature have an abundance of naturally.
Things that make you go hmmm.
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