INTERESTING ENGINEERING - Humans can tolerate only brief bursts of extreme gravitational force. Fighter pilots train to endure high G-loads, but even they struggle beyond 9G. At higher levels, blood drains from the brain, causing blackout within seconds. Sustained exposure remains dangerous and poorly understood, especially during spaceflight and reentry.
Now, new research from the University of California, Riverside suggests biology may be more adaptable than expected. Scientists exposed fruit flies to forces as high as 13G using a centrifuge. Instead of breaking down, the insects survived, reproduced, and eventually recovered normal behavior.