Yaël: So Don, did you always want to be a radio producer? 

 

Don: Well, not always, Yaël. When I was a kid I wanted to be an astronaut. 

 

Y: Really? How cute! 

 

D: No, seriously. I've always dreamed of traveling in space, floating in zero gravity, gazing down on the Earth. 

 

Y: You make it sound so relaxing. 

 

D: Yeah. I think it would be pretty relaxing. 

 

Y: But actually, Don, space travel is incredibly stressful. I mean, you're cooped up for months inside a space capsule or station with other astronauts, constantly checking equipment to make sure everything works. Because all it takes is one false move and you're toast. Which is why scientists are developing a stress test for astronauts on long missions. It's pretty simple---the test consists of a few questions about how the astronaut feels, how much sleep he or she got the night before, and so on. Then a light flashes on the screen and you push a button in response. The computer records your reaction time and compares it to the times of alert astronauts. 

 

D: And if you don't score well then you're not allowed to do stuff like go on a spacewalk? Y: 

Not exactly. The computer doesn't tell you what to do, like HAL in "2001: A Space Odyssey." It just gives you feedback to help you evaluate your fitness to complete tasks that require lots of effort and concentration. If your test score indicates that you're overly tired or stressed, then you might decide to postpone the task and get more rest first.