Description

It’s due to be retired on 2030 when it will crash back to Earth so was it worth it? Ellie, Antonia and Laura look at just some of the scientific discoveries it’s helped with, including the many processes involved in ageing, getting a clearer understanding of how plaques form in the brain, the fundamental physics of water boiling and some nifty science of scent molecules.

Fact check:

• Cost of keeping the ISS alive
• Low gravity water boiling
• The NPR article Laura mentioned which gives an overview of the ISS 
• Research using bed rest as an alternative to microgravity
• Research using random orientation machines to simulate microgravity
• Research proposed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to look at a straightforward partial explanation of how bone and muscle loss accelerates ageing
• A study that mentions cells respond to mechanical forces
• NASA’s 20 breakthroughs, which mentions research in to plaques that form in the brain