astronomy and health

No, this isn't one of those "Look through a telescope and grow 6 inches"
spams... but a question that a friend sent me in email. Their family was
discussing the ties between some sciences and health/medicine. They couldn't
come up with anything for astronomy and so they wrote to me. Off the top of
my head (meaning I haven't gone searching for direct ties between astronomy
and specific cures/medical technologies), I'm thinking there must be
something in optics or detectors that has spinoffs to medicine. And of
course, we can probably all talk all night about the MENTAL health benefits
of doing astronomy... but anybody have any direct links or ideas?

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
CCPetersen
"I'd rather be stargazing."
(remove the ET from my username to send email.)

guid0 wrote:
On Thu, 28 Aug 2003 14:00:06 -0400, "C.C. Petersen"
stepped up to the plate and batted:


I'm thinking there must be
something in optics or detectors that has spinoffs to medicine.


Ophtalmology?

I was thinking of bleary eyes and lack of sleep g

Phil

guid0 wrote:
On Thu, 28 Aug 2003 14:00:06 -0400, "C.C. Petersen"
stepped up to the plate and batted:


I'm thinking there must be
something in optics or detectors that has spinoffs to medicine.


Ophtalmology?

I was thinking of bleary eyes and lack of sleep g

Phil

"C.C. Petersen" wrote in message ...
Off the top of my head (meaning I haven't gone searching for direct ties
between astronomy and specific cures/medical technologies), I'm thinking
there must be something in optics or detectors that has spinoffs to
medicine.

I do not know the specific answer to your question. But one obvious
connection is that the development of the telescope in response to
commercial shipping and European economic expansion needs in the
1600s, led to the later development of the microscope (turn the
telescope around - make configuration changes to the lens), and hence
to the correct attribution of the cause of many diseases to
microscopic organisms, and hence to the modern sciences of
microbiology and immunology (e.g. that red and white blood cells
exist) and the discipline of public health regulation(e.g. clean and
chorlinated water, toilets, sewer systems and health monitoring
prevent the banished killers like typhus and cholera), and hence to
modern antibiotics and vaccines, and so on, and so on, and so on.

Looking at James Burke's "Connections" books, television programs and
radio series might be an avenue to explore for a quick answer.

Regard - Kurt

"C.C. Petersen" wrote in message ...
Off the top of my head (meaning I haven't gone searching for direct ties
between astronomy and specific cures/medical technologies), I'm thinking
there must be something in optics or detectors that has spinoffs to
medicine.

I do not know the specific answer to your question. But one obvious
connection is that the development of the telescope in response to
commercial shipping and European economic expansion needs in the
1600s, led to the later development of the microscope (turn the
telescope around - make configuration changes to the lens), and hence
to the correct attribution of the cause of many diseases to
microscopic organisms, and hence to the modern sciences of
microbiology and immunology (e.g. that red and white blood cells
exist) and the discipline of public health regulation(e.g. clean and
chorlinated water, toilets, sewer systems and health monitoring
prevent the banished killers like typhus and cholera), and hence to
modern antibiotics and vaccines, and so on, and so on, and so on.

Looking at James Burke's "Connections" books, television programs and
radio series might be an avenue to explore for a quick answer.

Regard - Kurt

Guy C.C. Astronomy and mental health are essential. Like good spelling.

C.C. Petersen wrote:
No, this isn't one of those "Look through a telescope and grow 6 inches"
spams... but a question that a friend sent me in email. Their family was
discussing the ties between some sciences and health/medicine. They couldn't
come up with anything for astronomy and so they wrote to me. Off the top of
my head (meaning I haven't gone searching for direct ties between astronomy
and specific cures/medical technologies), I'm thinking there must be
something in optics or detectors that has spinoffs to medicine. And of
course, we can probably all talk all night about the MENTAL health benefits
of doing astronomy... but anybody have any direct links or ideas?

Guy C.C. Astronomy and mental health are essential. Like good spelling.

C.C. Petersen wrote:
No, this isn't one of those "Look through a telescope and grow 6 inches"
spams... but a question that a friend sent me in email. Their family was
discussing the ties between some sciences and health/medicine. They couldn't
come up with anything for astronomy and so they wrote to me. Off the top of
my head (meaning I haven't gone searching for direct ties between astronomy
and specific cures/medical technologies), I'm thinking there must be
something in optics or detectors that has spinoffs to medicine. And of
course, we can probably all talk all night about the MENTAL health benefits
of doing astronomy... but anybody have any direct links or ideas?

I think the medical field could use all of us for a group study on sleep
deprivation ; )

"C.C. Petersen" wrote:

No, this isn't one of those "Look through a telescope and grow 6 inches"
spams... but a question that a friend sent me in email. Their family was
discussing the ties between some sciences and health/medicine. They couldn't
come up with anything for astronomy and so they wrote to me. Off the top of
my head (meaning I haven't gone searching for direct ties between astronomy
and specific cures/medical technologies), I'm thinking there must be
something in optics or detectors that has spinoffs to medicine. And of
course, we can probably all talk all night about the MENTAL health benefits
of doing astronomy... but anybody have any direct links or ideas?

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
CCPetersen
"I'd rather be stargazing."
(remove the ET from my username to send email.)

--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Matthew B. Ota
Orange County Astronomers Astroimagers SIG
http://www.ocastronomers.org/
Telescopes In Education (TIE)
http://tie.jpl.nasa.gov/tie/index.html
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Saturn Observation Campaign
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
--------------------------------------------------------------

I think the medical field could use all of us for a group study on sleep
deprivation ; )

"C.C. Petersen" wrote:

No, this isn't one of those "Look through a telescope and grow 6 inches"
spams... but a question that a friend sent me in email. Their family was
discussing the ties between some sciences and health/medicine. They couldn't
come up with anything for astronomy and so they wrote to me. Off the top of
my head (meaning I haven't gone searching for direct ties between astronomy
and specific cures/medical technologies), I'm thinking there must be
something in optics or detectors that has spinoffs to medicine. And of
course, we can probably all talk all night about the MENTAL health benefits
of doing astronomy... but anybody have any direct links or ideas?

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
CCPetersen
"I'd rather be stargazing."
(remove the ET from my username to send email.)

--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Matthew B. Ota
Orange County Astronomers Astroimagers SIG
http://www.ocastronomers.org/
Telescopes In Education (TIE)
http://tie.jpl.nasa.gov/tie/index.html
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Saturn Observation Campaign
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
--------------------------------------------------------------

"C.C. Petersen" wrote in message ...
Their family was discussing the ties between some sciences and
health/medicine. They couldn't come up with anything for astronomy and so
they wrote to me. snip

The following is Table B-1 entitled "Medical Applications of
Astronomical Techniques" from Appendix B in National
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Dept. of
Commerce, _Radio Astronomy Spectrum Planning Options_, Special
Publication 98–35 (APril 1998), available online at:

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/repo...exec.htm#cover

Appendix B is at:

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/repo...5/Raspapnd.htm

TABLE B-1.

Medical Applications of Astronomical Techniques
Astronomical Technique or Device Medical Uses

===============
• 3-D image reconstruction from one-and two-dimensional images
[contributed to]
• Imaging for CAT scans
• Magnetic resonance imaging
• Positron emission tomography

===============
• Microwave receivers
[contributed to]
• Scans for breast cancer

===============
• Image-processing software (IRAF and AIPS) developed by NRAO, NOAA,
and NASA
[contributed to]
• Cardiac angiography
• Monitoring neutron activity in brain

===============
• Positive pressure clean rooms for assembly of space instruments
[contributed to]
• Cleaner hospital operating rooms

===============
• Detection of faint x-ray sources
[contributed to]
• Portable x-ray scanners (Lixiscope) for neonatology and third world
clinics

Regards - Kurt