Effects of exoplanetary gravity on human locomotor ability

TL;DR

This study explores how different exoplanetary gravities affect human locomotor ability, establishing that humans could potentially function normally up to 4 times Earth's gravity with proper training.

Contribution

The paper introduces a new model for human walking energetics and analyzes gravity limits for human survival and mobility on exoplanets.

Findings

Humans can perform normal locomotion up to 4 g with training.

Skeleton and muscle limits restrict human activity at higher gravities.

A novel inverted pendulum model estimates energetic costs of walking.

Abstract

At some point in the future, if mankind hopes to settle planets outside the Solar System, it will be crucial to determine the range of planetary conditions under which human beings could survive and function. In this article, we apply physical considerations to future exoplanetary biology to determine the limitations which gravity imposes on several systems governing the human body. Initially, we examine the ultimate limits at which the human skeleton breaks and muscles become unable to lift the body from the ground. We also produce a new model for the energetic expenditure of walking, by modelling the leg as an inverted pendulum. Both approaches conclude that, with rigorous training, humans could perform normal locomotion at gravity no higher than 4 $g_{\textrm{Earth}}$.