NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

As NASA prepares to send humans back to the moon and eventually beyond, researchers are looking for new ways to keep astronauts' bones healthy and strong. To do so, a team of engineers from NASA's Glenn Research Center and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation developed the enhanced Zero-gravity Locomotion Simulator (eZLS), a treadmill that simulates the space environment.

Image right: A test subject runs on the eZLS treadmill. Credit: NASA

The information they gather will help NASA design better exercise equipment and develop exercise routines for astronauts. It also could help doctors treat and prevent osteoporosis, a disease that threatens 44 million Americans.