Research never stops. Hats off to the terraXcube team and the University of Ulm students for their incredible efforts in the face of Covid-19. Pushing frontiers is our mantra at terraXcube and you can see why when you watch this awesome video. In order to assess the physiological effects of high altitude on the body at the terraXcube, the students underwent a test procedure of the simulation of high altitudes and their real and measurable effects on the human body. At exposure to an absolute pressure around 600 mbar (which corresponds to a simulated altitude of 4000m) the test subjects had to perform a series of tasks in order to experience the effects of less oxygen on their bodies. Safety and research go hand in hand and this time the students had to prepare with extra precaution. Two days prior to their arrival at the terraXcube all students had to undergo a PCR Covid-test and only if the test results were negative, could they participate in the study. On top of this, the terraXcube crew also had to undergo a rapid anti-gen test by Eurac Research after the training procedure. It all goes to show, in spite of the masks and safety measures due to the current pandemic, we never stop pushing frontiers.
Image: © Eurac Research / Annelie Bortolotti
Video: © Camera: Marina Baldo – Editing: Eurac Research/Fabio Dalvit – Music: Golden Drag by Scattered Patterns – Courtesy of Marmoset