Cosmic threats, pandemics, and a botched quarantine: The real story behind Apollo 11
When it comes to conspiracy theories, most of them are laughable. However, there is one aspect of the Apollo 11 mission that conspiracy theorists got right: the quarantine after landing on the Moon.
Cosmic viruses posing a risk
In preparation for the Apollo 11 mission, scientists were aware of the potential threat to humanity from the transfer of cosmic pathogens to Earth. They feared that the Moon might be inhabited by life forms or infectious viruses.
To protect the human population from a possible epidemic, the trio of astronauts – Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and Neil Armstrong – underwent a three-week quarantine upon returning to Earth. This approach aimed to prevent the spread of any contagion if the astronauts brought it back from the Moon.
A poorly executed quarantine
However, it turned out that the entire quarantine was merely a show to appease the public. Documents released in 2020 revealed serious lapses and errors throughout the process. Lunar dust came into contact with multiple individuals, from the photography team to other scientists at the Houston Space Center.
Important safety procedures were not followed, and even the spacesuits and disinfecting devices proved to be ineffective. There was a genuine risk that, in the event of isolation failure, pathogens could have escaped.
Consequences of inadequate quarantine
What would have happened if the astronauts had actually brought back some form of contagion? Scientists agree that quarantine is necessary, but it does not provide absolute certainty of protection against microorganisms. The best-case scenario would have been to slow down the spread of any potential pathogens until an effective cure was discovered.
Fortunately, the first Moon landing did not bring about the destruction of humanity, and after three weeks, the three astronauts left their “quarantine” knowing that they posed no real threat to the rest of the world’s population.
The source of the article is from the blog karacasanime.com.ve