This technology could revolutionize how astronauts exercise in space  March 16, 2026

 

What's up, sunshine? Happy Monday. I'm Coy Wire. This is CNN 10.

 

Let's make this a motivation Monday. Remember, the strongest steel is burned in the hottest coals. We can learn strength through our struggles, and our tough times can make us tougher.

 

So if you're having a tough time, smell the flowers, cool the soup, and keep on cooking. All right, a lot of news to get to, only 10 minutes to do it, so let's get to it.

 

Working out in space, it's not exactly a walk in the park.

 

It's more like a float in the void. And while astronauts already exercise in microgravity, they can lose up to 20% of their muscle mass in just two weeks, and about 1% to 2% of their bone mineral density every month.

 

void [vɔɪd] n. 真空

 

The current gym equipment on the International Space Station is bulky.

 

bulky [ˈbʌlkɪ] adj. 庞大的；笨重的

 

Now, a British startup, though, called Physical Mind London, is testing a new smaller and more efficient device designed specifically for space. It's called HiFiM, short for high frequency impulse for microgravity. It allows astronauts to jump, hop, and resist train in space, no gravity required.

 

impulse [ˈɪmpʌls] n. 刺激; 推动力

 

It's being tested on parabolic flights, where aircraft briefly create weightlessness, giving scientists a chance to take the workout for a spin around the stratosphere.

 

parabolic [ˌpærə'bɑlɪk] adj. 抛物线的

weightlessness ['wetləsnəs] n. 失重

stratosphere ['strætəsfɪr] n.【气】平流层，同温层

 

This is a really unique piece of equipment. It enables over 300 exercises to take place in space.

 

What this piece of equipment does, it enables individuals, one, to jump repeatedly in zero gravity, and that is phenomenal for building bone and muscle mass and cardiovascular for people instantly.

 

phenomenal [fə'nɑmənəl] adj. 非凡的

 

The key challenge is jumping without sending vibrations through a spacecraft. HiFiM solves that with two moving platforms that balance each other out, canceling the force created during exercise.

 

Developers hope the technology could help astronauts stay strong on future missions, including those heading to the moon.

 

Now to an inspiring story in the world of medicine. A determined medical student racing to help find a cure for a devastating disease that could one day take her life.

 

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord responsible for making our body's muscles work.

 

ALS: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ; 肌萎缩性侧索硬化症

neurodegenerative [ˌnjurodə'dʒenərətɪv] adj. 神经变性的

 

People with the condition usually lose their ability to eat, speak, walk, and ultimately breathe. Little is known about what causes the fatal disease, and there is currently no cure.

 

But even after learning that she is a genetic carrier for a rare form of the disease, Yentli Soto-Albrecht isn't letting that stop her from finding new ways to treat and potentially cure it. Our affiliate KYW has more on this remarkable story.

 

It's a race against time in this research lab for Yentli Soto-Albrecht, who's an MD-PhD student at the Perlman School of Medicine.

 

I'm not sure I'll survive this, but everything I do is towards that goal.

 

Genetic testing shows the 32-year-old has the same form of ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, that killed her father in 2024.

 

In that year, I was seeing my dad die of ALS the same way that I'm likely to die.

 

I felt like I had now a deadline as to how long I'd be able to live, and that felt really devastating in the moment.

 

ALS becomes paralyzing. Yentli's dad was in a wheelchair at her wedding.

 

His form of ALS that runs in the family is also linked to a form of dementia called FTD.

 

My hope is to turn the needle towards making ALS and FTD survivable diagnoses.

 

diagnose [ˌdaɪəɡ'nos] n. 判断；诊断(疾病)

 

Currently, there's no cure and limited treatments. For Yentli, the future depends on research. Big help is coming from Dr. Defna Amato, an ALS researcher at Penn who also treated Yentli's dad.

 

It's a really tough disease.

 

The research here is focused on developing a gene therapy.

 

So in ALS, only motor neurons are affected by that disease. And that's these guys.

 

Now together in the lab, the doctor and student share a special mission.

 

She is just really determined to put a dent in this disease, and we share that determination.

 

put a dent in 花费大半; 显著影响

 

Research that they're hoping will someday be life-saving.

 

10-second trivia. Which disease is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide?

 

Cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy?

 

cataract ['kætərækt] n. 白内障

glaucoma [ɡlaʊ'komə] n. 青光眼

macular degeneration 黄斑部变性

diabetic retinopathy 糖尿病视网膜病

retinopathy [ˈretənɑpəθɪ] n. 视网膜病变

macular ['mækjʊlə] adj. 有斑点的；有污点的

 

Answer is glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which sends visual information from the eye to the brain. According to the World Health Organization, around one out of every 200 people lives with legal blindness.

 

legal blindness 法定視障

 

The Winter Paralympics held their closing ceremony over the weekend, and one team of athletes is hard at work to get their sport added to the Summer Paralympic program coming in 2028.

 

Blind baseball is not currently among the events, but not because the sport can't be adapted. Rather, because it is not played at an international level in enough countries.

 

blind baseball 盲人棒球

adapt [ǝˈdæpt] v. 改編; 改造

 

You're about to meet a team of blind athletes who's trying to change that by popularizing the sport. CNN's Randy Kaye has more.

 

popularize ['pɑpjələraɪz] v. 普及；使流行

 

Got it! It's the most gratifying feeling ever for a blind person because somebody told you you couldn't play, that this game wasn't designed for you.

 

gratifying ['ɡrætəfaɪɪŋ] adj. 可喜的；令人满足的

 

Get it, get it. It's coming.

 

These players aren't waiting for a lead.

 

They're building one. One out. Their goal? Make blind baseball a Paralympic sport.

 

The second someone said Paralympics to me, I was like, I will do whatever it takes.

 

Let's get some runs. Let's get some hits, baby.

 

I am Kiana V. Glanton. I am 42 and a half. How would you describe yourself as captain? I'm a bit of a taskmaster.

 

taskmaster ['tæskmæstər] n. 工頭, 監工

 

Is there someone here that doesn't have something essential?

 

I see so much potential in my teammates.

 

Let's go, Janice! Play ball!

 

How do they play blind baseball? The ball itself has a couple of chimes in it so the players can follow the sound. And all the players are blindfolded to even the playing field.

 

chime [tʃaɪm] n. 鸣；钟; 敲钟装置; 排钟

blindfold ['blaɪndfold] v. 蒙住... 的眼睛

even [ˈivən] v. 使..相等

 

They hold the ball themselves. No pitcher. First base makes a beeping noise to guide them in.

 

beep [bip] v.（使）发出嘟嘟（或滴滴）的声音

 

And there are two sighted coaches on second and third base with special clappers. The players run toward the noise.

 

sighted ['saɪtɪd] adj. 看得见的

clapper ['klæpər] n. 铃舌；钟锤；响板

 

Rumor has it you're like the home run king.

 

rumor has it 有传言说; 据说

 

I love, I mean, I love to hit. Don't be modest. To be on a baseball field, a place that has always brought me nothing but joy. Oh, it's like heaven.

 

Some of these players were adults by the time they lost their vision. So for them, blind baseball is more than a sport.

 

I'm a proud mom of one phenomenal little girl, my seeing eye daughter. Our life changed big time. I felt like my eyes betrayed me.

 

seeing eye 導盲

big time 很大程度上，非常

 

I did not want this lifestyle. And I certainly didn't want to be in the blind community. I smacked that ball for everything that I told myself I couldn't do.

 

smack [smæk] v. 猛拍; 掴; 猛击

 

I'm breaking stereotypes and my baby is watching.

 

Baseball helped Zach Shipp learn to navigate the world again when he lost his sight two years ago very suddenly.

 

Can you see me right now? No.

 

Not at all? If I'm looking straight at you, no. And if you turned your head? If I look this way, yes. But I'm blurring? Yes.

 

The day we found out that my vision was what it was was the hardest day of my life. I will do whatever I need to do to live the life that I want to live, to do the things that are going to bring me joy and live the fullest, most beautiful life that I want to live.

 

live the fullest 尽情享受人生 (Live life to the fullest)

 

You lose us a run with your speed, I'll kill you.

 

All right? God bless you.

 

Last year, the team competed in the Blind Baseball International Cup, featured in this upcoming documentary. These games raise the profile of the sport, but they need 16 international teams to compete in the Paralympics.

 

raise the profile 提高知名度

 

To represent my city, my country, my friends and my family proudly, it would mean everything to me.

 

Today's story, getting a 10 out of 10,some old school tech forging cross-generational connections. This is the Kala Boomer Payphone, and it's exactly what it sounds like.

 

It automatically connects college students on Boston University's campus with a total stranger at a senior living complex on the other side of the country.

 

living complex 集合住宅;住宅大楼群

 

The goal of this unique pop-up is to connect Baby Boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964, with Gen Zers born between 1997 and 2012. It's a bid to spread happiness and curb loneliness.

 

And before you ask, yes, the sister phone in Reno, Nevada is called the Kala Zoomer Phone. Both have been big hits and great reminders that sometimes a few kind words can have big impacts.

 

I love it. I mean, I think younger people and older people, I would argue, need to talk to each other more in the same place, but across the country is a good place to start.

 

We've all forgotten that there are lots of ways to stay in touch and break loneliness and isolation.

 

Like we always say, even if it's just making someone smile, we have the opportunity to be a spark of joy for someone who needs it each and every day.

 

We are sending a spark of joy and a whole lot of gratitude all the way to the Philippines. Kumusta to Mr. Haney and friends at the International School of Manila. Thank you for watching us each and every day.

 

And we have a shout out going to Mr. Riddell at Dublin High School in Dublin, California. Look at these socks. Dub high, stay fly, rise up.

 

I will be rocking this at the gym. Thank you so much. Hope you have a great start to your week.

 

We have the power to make it a great week. So let's do it. I'm Coy Wire and we are CNN 10.