Dogs: The Number One (Future) Solar Pet?
Image Credit: The Jetsons
(Image Credit: Mzelle Laure via Wikipedia)
Space is big. Its “vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big.” It can also be a lonely place as well.
Scientists have been previously warning that long term trips on the Moon (or towards Mars) may place undo psychological burdens on future astronauts, especially if they can not see Earth.
Since launching astronauts with their families may not be an ideal solution (although this would resolve the loneliness factor), it may be wise to include Fido in order to help combat the feelings of isolation off world.
While some countries may look to dogs as their next meal, in the west canines are often regarded “as man’s best friend.”
So whether you are known to befriend the canine (or are indifferent towards it), here are several reasons why this hairy beast may dominate our solar system (as the number one pet that is).
The Love Factor
Regardless of whether an astronaut is stationed on the outskirts of Callisto or observing the stars from Mars, living hundreds of millions of kilometers away from the home world can easily make one depressed.
A future colonist will probably feel frustrated with their commanders on Earth (for whatever reasons), and may have a similar attitude towards their crew mates–especially if they are confined to live within radiation safe houses for extended periods.
In order to help prevent cabin fever from breaking out off world, allowing dogs to accompany future colonists may be a wise idea, as most canines are known to show enthusiasm around the presence of their owners, which may help them feel appreciated millions of kilometers from home.
Although other animals may purr or even cuddle, dogs will often shout (or rather bark) their praises at seeing their owners again–a feat that somehow does not get old for our canine friends.
Superior Intelligence
(Image Credit: Ang on Aclaire.vox.com)
Many animals on our planet are known to boast measurable intelligence, but only one species seems to have the discipline to “master” digital technology.
(Suite 101) In a study at the University of Vienna in Austria, dogs used touch screen computers to show that they could categorize photographs. They were trained with treats to select a dog picture over a landscape picture. When they were shown a different set of dog and landscape pictures, they continued to select the dog pictures, demonstrating that they could apply earlier learning to a different situation. Researchers tested further by presenting the dogs with contradictory information to see if they were capable of forming concepts. When shown pictures of an empty landscape and a landscape with a dog, they continued to select the picture with the dog.
While this may seem like a non-factor to pet owners favoring other species, the fact that these canines can be trained to handle technical equipment may make them favorable pets when compared to their feline friends (and perhaps even pigs).
Safety And Security
(Image Credit: Kjetil via Wikipedia)
It does not matter whether one establishes large colonies upon Jupiter’s Ganymede or on the Sun baked world of Mercury, crime (however small) will always be a factor when establishing outposts on another world.
Since its likely that most colonies will probably reside within biodomes (assuming they are not underground altogether), which means using weapons slinging projectiles (i.e. guns) may not be a good idea, as punching too many holes in the walls could endanger the entire colony.
Even though one could always train the future colony’s security force in martial arts, it may be easier to use canines to help enforce the law.
Often seen as a major deterrent against crime, dogs can help off world security forces control raging crowds (in case the settlers ever decide to riot), as well as headbutt potential criminals (in order to avoid severely injuring the would be offender).
The Nose Knows
(Image Credit: Paul167 via Wikipedia)
Although a few worlds like Callisto and Titan may provide offer some relief from space radiation (from our Sun as well as beyond), many outposts will probably have to create portable magnetic shields to protect themselves above ground.
While artificial magnetic fields may enable us to survive off world, it may not provide full protection for future settlers which means that cancer rates on more radioactive worlds will probably be a lot higher than on Earth.
Since importing cancer detecting equipment to every facility (on every moon, planet and asteroid) may be extremely expensive, it may be easier to train (and deploy) dogs to sniff out the cancer instead.
(Nation Geographic) “Our study provides compelling evidence that cancers hidden beneath the skin can be detected simply by [dogs] examining the odors of a person’s breath,” said Michael McCulloch, who led the research. [...]
“Cancer cells emit different metabolic waste products than normal cells,” Broffman said. “The differences between these metabolic products are so great that they can be detected by a dog’s keen sense of smell, even in the early stages of disease.” [said Nicholas Broffman, executive director of the Pine Street Foundation.] [...]
By scent alone, the canines identified 55 lung and 31 breast cancer patients from those of 83 healthy humans.
The results of the study showed that the dogs could detect breast cancer and lung cancer between 88 and 97 percent of the time.
Using dogs to identify cancer within patients early can go a long ways to helping future doctors treat the disease and hopefully cure it as well.
Conclusion
While it would be silly to suggest that other species on Earth would not ultimately find themselves exported off world across the solar system (like pigs), the future may see the canine family accompany humanity not only throughout the outer reaches of our solar system, but perhaps into the next star system as well.
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Electrical Shocks May Keep Muscles Strong In Micro Gravity
(Hat Tip: IsraGood, Image Credit: StimuHeal)
One of the major hurdles keeping humanity away from conquering the final frontier is gravity.
Without the constant pull from Earth (or another orbital body) our bones and muscles tend to deteriorate over time, which means that humanity will either have to construct large gravitational space stations (if in space), ingest special drugs (despite the side effects) or wear heavy gravity suits (if living on a less massive worlds like Callisto or Titan).
Now it looks like a much easier (and lighter) solution may be available as future colonists could simply wear a suit full of “electric shocks.”
(Israel 21st Century) An Israeli company believes it has the ultimate solution to keep your muscles strong, even when you are immobilized, and your bones broken. The six-year-old company StimuHeal has invented an electrical stimulation device – the MyoSpare – that sits under your cast, stimulating your muscles to stay strong, even when your biggest workout is switching the channels on the remote control. [...]
Using existing equipment on the market, StimuHeal identified the technical and clinical limitations of activating the muscles underneath casts using Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), a well-recognized tool in the American healthcare system.
If electrodes were to be inserted under the cast, the company recognized, prolonged sweating would be a problem. They also had to develop the perfect stimulation regime so the lactic acid and CO2 wouldn’t build up in the muscles, causing pain and discomfort. StimuHeal solved this by developing a microprocessor that calculates a cycle for the muscles to rest.
If this technology could be perfected, then future colonists would be able to not only thrive upon smaller worlds (with weaker gravity), but also be able to survive long journeys aboard star ships without the need for orbital mechanics.
While a practical solution still needs to be developed for bones, its good to see a potential one exist for the many muscles that make up the human body.
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No Magnetic Field Equals Insane Animals And Humans?
(Hat Tip: Space Travel, Image via EZ2Bsaved.com)
Often thought as the best way to keep radiation from “soaking the bones,” it looks as if portable magnetic fields may not only help keep us radiation free, but sane as well.
(RIA Novosti) The scientists constructed a special unit where the terrestrial magnetic field was reduced to a little as one-thousandth of its usual strength. Twelve rats were put into the “magnet-free chamber” for 25 days, and then for another 10 days, while another 12 rats remained in normal conditions.
Both groups were monitored 24 hours a day. Krivova said the first thing researchers observed was increased aggression among rats living under the reduced magnetic field. [...]
The rats were also observed to have memory failures. The group experiencing a small magnetic field forgot their surroundings and began inspecting the already known environment once again.
Even though humans may be able to “train themselves” to deal with lower levels of magnetism (or none at all), our animal friends may be unable to cope with the loss (not to mention the insanity).
Unless our species can find some way of creating global magnetic fields, our options of conquering the solar system en masse will be severely limited towards Mercury and Ganymede (not to mention a few “safe” regions of both Mars and the Moon).
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More Radiation Safe Worlds (Around Saturn)
Despite the fact that planetary magnetic fields provide shelter against deadly solar radiation, they are also accompanied with radiation belts, an item some would consider a mixed blessing.
While Earth, Callisto and Titan comprise the three major radiation safe worlds (at least when it comes to raising kids), two other icy worlds–Dione and Rhea–join the list as they orbit beyond Saturn’s radiation belts (and within its magnetic field).
Hopefully as technology improves (especially when it comes to building radiation resistant habitats), Saturn’s other icy worlds will be safe enough for future colonists to establish outposts upon–without the fear of contracting cancer due to radiation exposure.
Although most of Saturn’s residents will probably raise their kids upon Titan (because of its higher gravity), Dione and Rhea will probably attract a significant population due to its access to view the stars above (not to mention Saturn as well).
Update (7/21): Fixed excel sheet embedding code.
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Space Water: Using Algae, Bacteria To Warn If Drinking Is Dangerous
(Hat Tip: IsraGood, Twice, Image Credit: Nicky At Bar Ilan University)
Even though humanity is blessed with an abundance of water stretching from our Earthen homeworld to the frigid edges of our solar system, most of it is probably not safe enough to drink without some heavy filtering.
Since most of the water mined will probably be used to quench thirsty plants and trees, it may be wise to simply test the water samples for safety using bacteria and algae (in order to reduce cost).
(Israel 21st Century) Luminescent bacteria glow at night on the beaches in Costa Rica and the Mediterranean Sea. Now an Israeli start-up has developed a novel and economical solution that uses these unusual micro organisms to help keep drinking water clean and safe. [...]
When the bacteria are placed in drinking water that contains harmful chemicals, they glow a warning signal, which can be read by a machine measuring light intensity. [...]
“We can go out to the water source and test on the spot. You will know in 15 minutes – the time it takes for the bacteria and sensors to respond to any number of contaminants in the water. Our system detects them at low concentrations, and very quickly,” she explains.
This nifty technique from CheckLight could help future colonists tell whether water is healthy enough for their space crops, as well as for their families to drink.
While these microscopic “friends” would be useful in helping us identify whether space water is safe to consume, scientists may be able to use algae to help them determine what exactly is contaminating their H2O.
(Israel 21st Century) The groundbreaking development by scientists at Bar Ilan University’s Faculty of Life Sciences is based on measurements of the level of photosynthesis in aquatic plants and uses a special aquatic microphone to pick up sound waves. [...]
The researchers radiate a green laser beam on the aquatic plant. A plant that hasn’t realized its full photosynthesis potential will use part of the laser light, converting it into energy, with the rest being converted into heat. This heat causes the water to expand and therefore produce a change in pressure, which is actually a sound wave that can be picked up by a hydrophone – a special microphone designed for the water. [...]
A plant suffering from lead poisoning, discharged as waste into water sources from battery and paint manufacturing plants, will produce a different resonance to that of a plant suffering from lack of iron, or to that of a healthy plant.
Even though a few species of algae can already be used to help create bio-fuel (which will be useful for human powered rovers), future colonists may want to consider giving these slimy creatures a “second job,” as they could help us find ways to purify any toxins in the contaminated water (instead of just simply disposing the water).
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Can Massive Radio Waves Make Radiation Worlds Safe?
(Hat Tip: Universe Today)
Despite its lack of attention from space science fiction movies, radiation is probably humanities deadliest foe–at least when it comes to colonizing a few promising worlds.
While anti-radiation drugs, specialized habitats and portable magnetic shields could enable us to live on hostile worlds, using massive radio waves could help “damper” the affects of encounter this invisible killer.
(ABC News Australia) Gamble and colleagues were using the research satellite DEMETER to investigate the behaviour of the magnetosphere when they picked up some interesting observations directly over the North West Cape military transmitter in Western Australia.
“We were able to determine that this transmitter has a direct effect on the electrons in the radiation belts [in the magnetosphere],” says Gamble.
“[It caused] those electrons to crash into the top of the atmosphere and be removed from the radiation belts.”
He says this is the first study to show humans could control electrons in the magnetosphere from earth.
Gamble says specially-designed radio transmitters could be aimed towards to sky to dissipate the electrons, once a solar flare was detected.
If massive radio waves could be used to reduce the strength of radiation belts from Earth, future colonists may be able to replicate this on other worlds such as Ganymede, not to mention the icy moon worlds of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
This would enable humanity to settle upon lunar worlds heavily bathed within their parent planet’s radiation belts, opening up worlds that may have been previously written off to the public because of intense radiation.
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Russia: Oxygen Plus Argon Equals Future Martian Air?
While NASA plans on finding ways for us to “recycle our air,” Russia is trying to find the perfect balance for a breathable atmosphere on board a future Martian spacecraft.
(Universe Today) Volunteers in Russia are testing the ability of humans to breathe argon-enriched air, as part of a research program that simulates a manned trip to Mars. Researchers want to know if humans can survive breathing air similar to that found on Mars. Of the experiment one Russian scientist said, “Our experiments show that argon combined with the right portion of oxygen is safe for humans. I tested it on myself and I’m OK, and volunteers are also doing fine.”
Despite the fact that argon is apart of the Martian atmosphere, some may wonder why the scientists chose that over nitrogen, since their is more nitrogen than argon on the red planet.
The answer lies with the fact that argon is a lot safer than nitrogen, as the latter has the potential to bond with oxygen (via static heat), which can form Nitric Oxide–or even worse, Nitrogen Dioxide), which can be fetal towards humans.
Argon on the other hand is not only non-toxic, but it can resist bonding with other elements (as it is more stable) giving future astronauts fewer headaches to worry about.
This makes Argon the perfect “filler gas” (as pure oxygen is too dangerous), and this experiment may make it possible for humans to one day visit, and perhaps live on Mars.
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Not Good: Living On The Moon, It's Electric
With threats from radiation, lunar dust and politics, one wonders whether or not Earth’s little sister is daring us to even attempt to visit her off white world, let alone conquer it.
While scientists are working on ways to thwart radiation and counter lunar dust (not to mention voting for pro-space politicians), they may have to find another solution regarding the Moon’s love for “static electricity.”
(Space.com) This new finding, announced this week by NASA, is important to future lunar explorers: Astronauts may find themselves “crackling with electricity like a sock pulled out of a hot dryer,” according to an agency statement. [...]Our entire planet is enveloped in a bubble of magnetism generated by the rotating core. The solar wind, a stream of charged particles, pushes the bubble away from the sun and creates a long tail of magnetized material downstream.
“Earth’s magnetotail extends well beyond the orbit of the moon and, once a month [at full moon] the moon orbits through it,” said Tim Stubbs, a University of Maryland scientist working at the Goddard Space Flight Center. “This can have consequences ranging from lunar ‘dust storms’ to electrostatic discharges.”
Probably the easiest way to deal with this challenge is to somehow find a way to turn the lunar static into energy, which may be much more useful than either solar or nuclear power.
Hopefully a future scientists/engineer will find some way of accomplishing this, as the last thing we need is “fried astronaut” served up lunar side via an electrical charge.
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New Drug May Help Counter Muscle Loss From Micro Gravity
(Hat Tip: RLV Transport News)
In order to counter the side effects of micro gravity, scientists (and engineers) are going to have to come up with creative ways to maintain body strength, especially if a future space traveler wants to set foot upon another world.
While settlers living on planets (and large moons) could easily wear gravity suits in order to ensure that they make it back to Earth, space travelers may have to settle for medication to ease their atrophy woes.
(Science Daily) Taking daily recommended dosages of ibuprofen and acetaminophen caused a substantially greater increase over placebo in the amount of quadriceps muscle mass and muscle strength gained during three months of regular weight lifting, in a study by physiologists at the Human Performance Laboratory, Ball State University. [...]
Over three months, says Dr. Trappe, the chronic consumption of ibuprofen or acetaminophen during resistance training appears to have induced intramuscular changes that enhance the metabolic response to resistance exercise, allowing the body to add substantially more new protein to muscle.
Doctors are already working on ways to counter bone loss, which may be good news for future explorers intending upon making long voyages in order to reach distant planets.
While an orbital space station (Bigelow style) would probably be a wiser route to take, this new drug may be helpful towards future colonists prefering to live upon “gravity-lite” star ships and asteroids.
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Could Space Radiation Keep Humanity Earth Bound?
From Earth’s vantage point, the heavens at night can inspire a sense of awe and wonder–not to mention stir our curiosity as to what lies “beyond the black.”
But despite the appearance of serenity among the stars, an invisible killer lurks between the worlds that could threaten our voyage across the gulf of space, a danger NASA and others are attempting to address.
(Space.com) Astronauts have long seen white flashes while in space due to cosmic rays, or extremely high-energy particles, passing through their heads. A return to the moon or a mission to Mars that NASA and other space agencies are planning would place astronauts at continued risk from cosmic rays or dangerous bursts of solar radiation. [...]
When it comes to shielding astronauts from radiation, spacecraft designers and mission planners have to consider trading off a safe amount of protective material — say, high density plastic — with cutting weight in order to enter space practically. Crafts that are too heavy simply can’t carry enough fuel to make flight practical. Further research could not only look into better shielding materials, but also spacecraft designs that put electronics and machinery in the periphery between astronauts and harm’s way.
While providing basic shielding within the spacecraft is important, NASA should probably try to focus on creating magnetic energy shields as it may be cheaper than “hauling lead” beyond the sky.
Since creating these fields would obviously consume a lot of energy, engineers could design the magnetic shields to only activate when the spacecraft (or a nearby probe) senses an increasing spike in radiation (a device scientists are already working on).
If humanity can solve the radiation issue, then settling on Mars (and beyond) will become a little easier for our rowdy planet.
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Radiation Safe Worlds
Of the 83 colony worlds that dance and prance around our golden star, only six worlds (excluding our home planet) hold the potential of being future homes, nine if you include Mercury, Pluto and Charon.
Despite the fact that future technology could eventually open up all of these worlds for human habitation, only a few of them may attract “the masses” after the first person sets foot upon their dusty soil due to the “evil R word”–radiation.
Contrary to the various rumors, taking heavy doses of radiation does not turn one into the Hulk, one of the members of the Fantastic Four or Spider Man via a radioactive spider bite.
Radiation, whether cosmic or solar has the potential of seriously roasting you alive, if not turning one into a vegetable.
Even though humans can tolerate “various degrees” of radiation, our bodies seem to be quite content with the level of background radiation our species receives on planet Earth, which is about 0.35 REM’s (aka Roentgen Equivalent Man) a year.
Higher doses of radiation can prove to be fatal towards future colonies, and some researchers do not recommend levels above 50 REM within a year or 25 REM during a 30 day period as it can lead towards some serious side affects (as highlighted in the chart below).
While radiation can be countered by using water, lead and aluminum, parents may be hesitant to breed upon foreign planets and moons (let alone raise kids upon them) if it will result in their children acquiring serious birth defects.
In order to determine which worlds are “family friendly,” one only has to look at how much radiation a world receives to determine whether or not it is suitable for large populations or should be left alone for industrial space companies.
Starting out with Mars, one often dreams about metropolises dotting the surface of that crimson sphere. While Mars may hold much promise for future colonies, its annual dose of 15-20 REM may give some settlers second thoughts.
While future Martians may be able to combat the threat of radiation by building cities within its lumpy magnetic field, the red planet as a whole may not spawn dense cities until a globe sized artificial magnetic field can be constructed.
Moving outward to the Jovian system future space settlers may find more fortune living on Jupiter’s moon Callisto. Orbiting just outside of its angry parents radiation belt, Callisto receives approximately 0.01 REM a day (or about 3.65 REM a year).
Coupled with its prime location in the outer solar system, Callisto may outpace its Martian rivals population wise, and may be second only to Earth as far as future inhabitants go.
Unfortunately Jupiter’s other lunar daughters do not fare as well as Callisto, with all three of these worlds (Ganymede, Europe, Io) bathed in Jupiter’s harsh radiation belt, putting them at a disadvantage compared to their much colder, “uglier” sister.
Traveling further outward towards Saturn, one may find it strange that humans may call the smog world of Titan home sweet home. While its surface may be hidden from the human eye, its atmosphere may be thick enough to protect residents from both solar rays as well as Saturn’s radiation belts.
Even though there are other worlds such as Luna (aka Earth’s moon), Ceres, and even Ganymede that may eventually be civilized by our ever growing race, these worlds may not conquered right away due to the “invisible killer” lurking in the shadows.
While it would not be surprising to see scientists and industrial corporations setting up shop on these hostile worlds, the bulk of humanity may choose to remain on these radiation safe worlds until over population forces them to conquer these overlooked spheres roaming silently among the stars.
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Radiation Storm Forecasts Via SOHO
Video: SOHO’s Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) caught this image of a coronal mass ejection. The green static represents the particles that the solar storm projects into space. Credit: NASA.
Despite the fact that the majority of the planets, moons and dwarf planets (sorry Pluto) lack a significant atmosphere, future colonists may still tune in to the latest forecast regarding upcoming storms.
But instead of storms involving weather, it will be radiation storms that they will be worrying about, a concern that the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) may help us predict.
(NASA) Explosive events on the sun can blast particles to high speeds, causing intense radiation storms that can disable spacecraft and cause radiation sickness or cancer in unprotected astronauts. Advance warning of radiation storms could give astronauts time to take cover and allow satellite operators to take protective measures.
Scientists are now testing a new method that could do just that. The method uses data from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) to predict, in real-time, the approach and intensity of hazardous solar particles that would threaten astronauts and technology in space. [...]
The new forecasting method calculates the appearance and intensity of solar ion events by measuring these relativistic (near light-speed) electrons. Extreme solar events create the relativistic electrons, which have characteristics that can be exploited to predict the time and intensity of later arriving ions, predominantly protons with energies more harmful to humans.
Predicting when these solar storms could easily determine the difference between a live astronaut and a dead one, which may make future solar weathermen one of the most important jobs in the solar system.
In order to thrive off world, future colonists may have to be content constructing lunar bases within magnetic safe havens until scientists can create artificial ones on their own.
Update: Corrected video description above. Also corrected title link above.
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NASA: Can Our Immune System Handle Micro Gravity?
Even though humans have spent at least a half century orbiting the heavens above, our species still has yet to find a way to adequately survive living “without gravity.”
Unfortunately for us, micro gravity is not only unfriendly towards our bones, muscles and heart, but can wreck havoc on our immune system.
In an attempt to address this issue, NASA is conducting a study in order to help find a way to thwart this semi-major problem.
(Space Daily) International Space Station crew members are collecting blood, saliva and urine samples to study their immune function in microgravity.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said while previous research conducted after landing showed dramatic changes in crew members’ immune systems, the on-going first-of-its-kind study is the only one to comprehensively monitor the human immune system before, during and after spaceflight.
This study is critical if humanity is ever going to live off world, especially since micro gravity gives harmful bacteria a dangerous advantage over our immune system.
Hopefully either NASA (or even the private sector) can find the solution to this problem, lest we have to build orbital space stations (which can be quite expensive) in order to dwell among the stars off world.
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Space Tourim To Promote Space Medicine
One of the great benefits about space tourism is the industry will help reawaken the dream of humans traveling beyond the stars.
While the passengers themselves may not be charting out new worlds, their participation may help us navigate the medical arena of space travel.
(AMNews) “We’re bringing civilian space travel into a different medical paradigm,” said Jan Stepanek, MD, MPH, director of the aerospace medicine program at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and a physician within Mayo’s executive health program. “Are these people going to have problems with coronary artery disease or pulmonary disease that could put them at risk? Something that could lead to an in-flight medical emergency that could compromise the safety of passengers or the safety of the flight?” [...]
This is why Mayo Clinic in Arizona has joined aerospace experts at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and Wyle Laboratories in Houston to form a medical space tourism program. The trio is offering commercial space flight companies their services to screen and prepare civilians for trips into orbital and suborbital space.
Even though humanity still has a long way before figuring out how we are going to live upon other worlds, this research should enable doctors to diagnose and (hopefully) prepare patients for the ride of their life time.
In time, doctors may be able to determine a standard to see who is fit to travel beyond the stars, enabling the masses to safely consider a future lunar side (or even upon Mars).
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Virtual Worlds To Keep Martian Astronauts Sane?
While NASA has dedicated hundreds (if not thousands) of scientists and engineers to ensure that the future humans traveling to Mars make it back to Earth in one piece, they have paid a lot less attention to the fact of them getting homesick.
In order to help lift their spirits (and perhaps counter cabin fever) NASA is considering building a “Second Life” virtual world that would enable them to communicate with friends and family.
(Wired.com) While aerospace engineers are designing the Ares rockets to be deployed in the Mars missions, a more starry-eyed contingent at NASA is testing networking and virtual reality technologies that they think will connect the first wave of Mars pioneers with their families, friends and colleagues back on Earth, in a 3-D virtual world cut from the mold of Second Life or World of Warcraft.
“We want to help our remote explorers ‘phone home’ in a way that lets them sit around a dinner table with their family, help their children with homework and analyze the latest findings with their Earth-bound peers,” says Jeanne Holm, chief knowledge architect at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The initiative is the latest in the space agency’s enthusiastic push into virtual worlds. In May, NASA set up its own island in Second Life to enable online collaboration on technology projects, and the agency is working to create 3-D simulations of the orange-red deserts of Mars, so astronauts can experience the Red Planet before going there.
Even though constructing this virtual world make sense for lunar astronauts, creating it for Martian explorers may be a bit over the top. Mars is approximately 20light minuets away from Earth, making such “virtual interaction” useless, at least in real time.
NASA would probably be better off designing a system allowing astronauts to post video messages to their family (and vice versa) than designing a virtual world for them to play in.
Note: If NASA however decided it needed to send video games in order to help the astronauts pass boredom, they might want to consider contacting this company.
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Gravity Suits For Off World Children
When one gazes upon the heavens that surround our fragile globe, one can not help but wonder what human civilization will look like as future generations dance upon foreign worlds.
With the final frontier ahead of us, our crowded world loses its Earthly appeal and seems to only regain it when viewed from the surface of its little sister Luna.
Unfortunately for our species, our bodies were simply not designed for living abroad, as the sub-Earth gravity has a way at reducing our hearts, bones and muscles into “malleable clay.”
Not even our own immune system is not safe from the ravages of micro gravity.
To counter this, some have proposed constructing orbital space stations, while others may be looking at medical science to cure their gravitational woes.
While either of these paths would enable us to dwell among the heavens in some form or fashion, one may be too expensive to replicate across our star system while the other may be riddled with side affects.
Neither of these would allow us to thickly populate our solar system in an efficient manner, forcing our young race to remain near our birth planet.
In order for our species to live, breed and raise children off world, we are going to have to figure out an inexpensive and healthy way to raise our future young on other terrestrial bodies.
So instead of trying to alter our environment (or worse, our bodies) for “Earth norm” gravity, why not simply require future children to wear gravity suits?
Placing weights on the human body is not a new technique, as people have used weights to strengthen their legs as well as for their bodies.
A gravity suit would simply be a weighted suit that would simulate Earthen gravity by having the appropriate kilograms (or pounds) placed within the suit. These weighted suits would strengthen a person’s muscles and bones, which would help fight against them suffering atrophy (for adults) and help kids muscles develop normally.
Gravity suits would also present kids born off world with the opportunity to visit Earth without worrying if their bodies could handle the pull from the home worlds gravity.
While other scientific and medical instruments could be added to the suit (for whatever practical reasons), simple weights could enable our species to not only explore other worlds, but live upon them as well.
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Earth's Magnetic Field: A Shield For Lunar Astronauts?
After a “brief” delay, humanity will once again send a few brave souls to visit the lunar world that orbits our home planet. However if we are going to live upon that barren world, humanity will have to find a way to deal with the cosmic radiation that can bombard the lunar surface.
While scientists have yet to create a portable magnetic field to shield future explorers, they are looking at the possibility of “borrowing Earth’s” to protect lunar astronauts.
(Physorg.com) Earth is largely protected by its magnetic field, or magnetosphere, but new University of Washington research shows that some parts of the moon also are protected by the magnetosphere for seven days during the 28-day orbit around Earth.
“We found that there were areas of the moon that would be completely protected by the magnetosphere and other areas that are not protected at all,” said Erika Harnett, a UW assistant research professor of Earth and space sciences.
While a week of protection is better than nothing, scientists may want to consider landing in and establishing bases within magnetic safe havens on the lunar surface.
Astronauts could then use the “week of protection” to conduct scientific experiments or (even better) explore for potential resources on the moon (such as helium-3).
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Space Babies: Cockroaches Conceived In Space
(Image Credit: Wm Jas via Flickr)
While breeding in space has been a topic with some (obvious) controversy associated with it, a few Russian scientists are examining what happens to animals that are conceived among the cosmos.
(Space Fellowship) Though the newborn creatures already eat and drink respectively well, microgravity conditions may have had an impact on the natural darkening of their chitinous carapace, a part of a cockroach’s exoskeleton.
“Cockroaches are born with a transparent carapace, which gradually turns into brown, and the space cockroaches went darker earlier than usual,” the scientist explained, adding that final conclusions would only be able to drawn only after the second female had given birth.
While breeding cockroaches is a start, hopefully scientists will be able to find a higher animal, preferable a mammal (such as a mouse or pig) and allow the animal to not only be conceived in space, but perhaps birthed there as well.
Doing so is the only way to determine whether or not humanity will be able to raise their kids off world, a critical item if we are ever going to inhabit other moons and planets.
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Baby Step: Reversing Bone Loss In Micro Gravity
(Hat Tip: IsraGood)
One of the greatest dangers of living in micro gravity (and even reduced gravity) is bone loss. Without a medical solution, our species may have to resort to living upon orbital space stations, or even weighted suits for those living off world.
However new research in the medical field may lead towards developing medicine counteracting the affects of micro gravity–at least for women.
(Israel 21st Century) Se-cure’s flagship product Femarelle, which is now available in 15 countries around the world, is derived through a unique enzymatic procedure that creates a specific biochemical composition proven to combine the treatment of menopausal symptom relief and bone loss. [...]
Femarelle has been proven in clinical studies to exert stimulatory activity on the estrogen receptors that control menopausal symptoms and the process of bone build-up, while having a blocking effect on estrogen receptors in the breast and the uterus. Moreover, Femarelle was shown to have a unique mechanism of action on bone build-up through increased osteoblast activity, having a direct effect on bone formation.
If this drug can be perfected, it may enable our species to easily adapt to the micro gravity environment of space. This would allow humans to take long term trips throughout our solar system (and beyond) without worry of being forever stranded among the stars due to bone loss.
Now if someone would come up with something similar for our immune and cardiovascular system, then the human race may be prepared to settle off world.
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Violators (and hosts) can be prosecuted under national and international laws.
Raising Pigs On Mars
Orbiting our celestial star at an average distance of around 228 million kilometers, Mars is often romanticized as the next home world for humanity. Scientists and space enthusiasts alike often wonder what would life be like living on the red planet, and dream of the future culture that will emerge there.
The first explorers upon Mars will probably rely on supplies previously shipped to the red planet in order to survive upon this harsh world. But in order to settle on this crimson globe, future Martians will need to import fruits, vegetables, grain, trees and pigs–yes pigs.
Pigs represent many things to many people on Earth. To some pigs are smelly, ugly, awful creatures that only look half way descent when staring in a children’s film. To others they are delicious beasts who fit perfectly into ones personal barbecue.
Regardless of the viewpoint, pigs may serve a useful purpose on Mars, and could ultimately determine the fate of not only future colonists, but whether or not Martians thrive upon that rusty world.
When compared to Earth, Mars is a nightmare, medically speaking. Orbiting hundreds of millions of kilometers away from the nearest advanced hospital (that is fully equipped), future colonists will be in trouble if any of them required an organ transplant.
If finding a matching donor on Earth was not hard enough, imagine trying to locate one on Mars, especially if future settlements are spread out all over the planet? Since pigs already share many biological traits with humans, they may make prime candidates for people looking to replace a failing organ (or two).
Not only would these Martian swine make excellent “donors,” but they may also help determine whether or not it is safe for mothers to carry babies full term on Mars.
When compared to Earth, Martian gravity is only about 38% as strong as our home world. While this may not pose any problems for humans venturing to the crimson planet, it may pose a threat to future humans intending upon raising kids upon the red deserts.
Since pigs probably breed a lot faster than humans, scientists could study how gravity affects several generations in the long term without endangering a future soul from our own species. If any problems did arise, pigs would give scientists an opportunity to develop drugs to counter side affects early on, which would aid future humans down the road.
Another reason Martians may desire to take along Miss Piggy (and friends) is the fact that pigs (especially wild ones) will often eat anything one puts before them.
If future colonists raising crop encounter any of their plants spoiling (for whatever reasons), they would be able to feed the decaying leftovers to our pink (and sometimes black) friends, leaving nothing to rot. Future colonists could then take the pig waste and turn it into fertilizer for their crops, which may be a better option than using our own.
As far as food goes, pigs would also provide an excellent alternative to just simply eating “fruits and berries” on Mars. Pigs would also be much easier to transport than say, cattle, as a little piglet would weigh much less than a baby calf (as launching objects to GEO can cost between $5,000-$10,000 per pound).
For those who prefer to love on their animal friends (instead of dining upon them), pigs would make excellent pets. Having an intelligence greater than dogs as well as a love for cuddling, space faring kids may enjoy raising their pet Wilbur or Babe.
While humans could also transport chickens, fish, cats and dogs to Mars, these may be a little harder to justify expense wise, making the former two a delicacy and the latter couple an exotic Martian pet.
With all of the benefits of transporting (and raising) terrestrial swine to the crimson world, it may not be too surprising to see Mars in the future being labeled as “the pig planet.”
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