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Tangential question, but does anyone have any idea why, based on the first graph in the article [1], NASA's allowable radiation limits for women are so much lower than for men?

[1] http://spaceweather.com/images2014/06dec14/missionduration.j...

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Birth defects

In vertebrate females, all oogonia mature to oocytes before birth. In males, spermatogonia mature to spermatocytes continuously after puberty. I gather that oocytes and spermatocytes are more sensitive than spermatogonia to radiation damage. Damaged spermatocytes and sperm get replaced after a few weeks. But there's no replacement for damaged oocytes.

So yes, birth defects.

> But there's no replacement for damaged oocytes.

That was the old thinking, but now there's evidence that women can probably generate 'new' eggs:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/07/evidence-sug...

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120726180259.h...

Wow, that's amazing. But on the other hand, using a chemotherapy drug to ovulate seems a little iffy.

Women are smaller...

I mean the radiation dose is calculated on an average body volume

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