NEW YORK ¨C Why would NASA and a number of news outlets announce that identical-twin astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly are still twins? It doesn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to know that even though Scott Kelly spent a year in orbit, such experiences don¡¯t change people¡¯s biological relationships. A couple may decide to no longer be husband and wife, sure ¡ª but how could space de-relate you from your parents, siblings or twin?
It turns out NASA¡¯s statement of the obvious was fallout from a bad case of mangled science communication. It started with an attempt on the part of the space agency to drum up publicity for some ongoing research about how Scott Kelly¡¯s year-long stint in space affected his physiology.
It was an appealing story not only because he broke the record for long-duration space flight, but because scientists were able to compare samples of his blood, saliva and urine with his twin brother¡¯s ¡ª ¡°the perfect nature versus nurture study,¡± as NASA described it. In promoting the research, NASA also introduced people to the term ¡°space gene.¡±
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