Scientists at the University of Milan have developed a new form of exercise they claim will help keep the bodies of future lunar inhabitants in good shape.

Anyone who spends enough time in a low-gravity environment such as the Moon begins to experience the effects, as the person's muscles atrophy and control over the entire body decreases. This is why astronauts spending time outside Earth's atmosphere must exercise. Without physical training, they will find it difficult to perform even basic activities when they return to Earth's gravity.

The Milanese scientists' new method actually involves running inside of the Wheel of Death. The Wheel of Death, seen in circuses and theme parks, is a large ring that lies on its side. One must run inside of the wheel fast enough to avoid falling.

In the conditions of the Earth's gravity, it is extremely difficult for a person to achieve such a result, so in such attractions, people often ride motorcycles in the wheel. But on the Moon, where the gravity is 1/6 that of Earth, a person can run inside the Wheel. The scientists believe that this will enable them to simulate running on a horizontal surface under conditions of much greater gravity.

Researchers from Milan rented a 9.4-meter-diameter Ferris wheel, attached two people from above with bungee cords to simulate gravitational conditions on the moon, and asked them to run inside the Ferris wheel. After just a few tries, both participants were able to run from the bottom of the wheel to the top and back down again.

When the researchers measured their running speed, stride length and foot strike force, they found that the participants ran in conditions that were no different from running on Earth. The authors of the experiment are sure that such exercises on the Moon will help maintain muscle tone.