“It is proposed that prenatal and early postnatal developmental stages may constitute critical biological windows for facilitating long-term adaptation to space,” researchers write. Yet, even when reproduction occurs successfully, researchers have documented developmental abnormalities in some species, suggesting that space environments can slightly modify embryonic development. Other studies have linked space radiation to DNA damage, genomic instability, and developmental defects affecting the nervous system. Instead of depending solely on habitats built on the Moon or Mars, future space settlements could include rotating structures that generate centrifugal force to recreate Earth-like gravity. Study: Ferraz M, Moeharram L. “Past, present and future of human reproduction and development in space.”