In 2013, a special medical research facility was started in Cologne, Germany to understand how humans adapt to extreme environments. Called , the facility is operated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Aerospace Medicine. It gives scientists a place to study what happens to the human body when people are exposed to conditions similar to those experienced during spaceflight. Researchers use bedrest studies to recreate some effects of microgravity on Earth. Participants remain in bed for weeks while scientists monitor their bodies. The research also involves NASA and other space agencies and is used to test measures that may help astronauts during future missions.
