The Institute of Medicine and Space Physiology Medes, located in Toulouse, France, is recruiting ten volunteers to lie down for ten consecutive days in exchange for a payment of 5,000 euros. This scientific study, set to take place in June, aims to explore how the human body adapts to the conditions of weightlessness that will be experienced in space travel. The researchers believe that such ground-based simulations are necessary due to the challenges of conducting certain studies during actual space flights.

This study is being organized in collaboration with the French National Center for Space Studies (CNES), which supports various aerospace research initiatives. According to a spokesperson from Medes, the primary focus of the research is to understand how bodily fluids, including water and blood, are redistributed under microgravity conditions. By observing these changes on Earth, researchers hope to glean valuable insights that could improve health outcomes for astronauts during long-duration space missions.

Volunteer candidates must be between the ages of 20 and 40, possess a good command of the French language, and maintain a healthy lifestyle with regular physical activity. This initiative not only reflects the growing interest in space health research but also highlights the willingness of individuals to participate in unconventional studies for monetary reward, opening doors to further research in space medicine and physiology.