NASA connected ULeth researcher discusses recent space flight

The University of Lethbridge has a fascinating connection to NASA, as they have studied the effects of a changing hostile environment on astronauts while in space. Dr. Gerlinde Metz is a neuroscientist at ULeth. Following the “splash down” and home coming of the two astronauts who had been stranded for nine months at the International Space Station, Metz joined BCN’s Jeannette Rocher to discuss how the stress factors of being in space can and will impact astronauts Suni and Butch. 

Dr. Metz describes everything from muscle atrophy to needing to learn to walk again, to rapid aging and the possibility of future blindness, dementia and cancers. 

Aired: March 19, 2025

 

Jeannette Rocher

Born in Puerto Rico, raised in Minnesota and Manitoba, Jeannette has had the opportunity to live in a variety of places including New York, Arizona, and Nevada. After completing college and a paid internship with CBC Winnipeg, Jeannette embarked on her journalism career by moving overseas to take a job on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. While overseas she covered stories in Fiji, Guam and Japan including the 2011 tsunami that hit Japan and its surrounding islands. She covered a mass shooting, an Earth quake, murder cases and other substantial court cases. In 2013 she moved to Alberta where she covered the devastating floods of High River and Medicine Hat for CTV News. She then went on to produce and host Go! Southern Alberta for Shaw TV. She now calls Miracle Channel home. In addition to reporting in the field, you can catch her anchoring daily weather reports, as well as longer interview segments on BCN, and the week-in-review show on BCN Weekends. 

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