The Big Tech Show: Phallic rockets and fake astronauts: the case for space with Leo Enright
Adrian began the conversation by asking was there any scientific merit to the Blue Origin New Shephard rocket which last week made a sub-orbital flight with an all-female crew to the edge of space and back. The space commentator stated that there was next to no scientific value in the Jeff Bezos backed space exploration.
However, Leo Enright did point out that Gail King was the first American journalist in space and he is hopeful that she will once again popularise space exploration amongst the American public.
You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
Experts say US plans for lunar nuclear reactor are ‘cock-eyed'
'The whole proposal is cock-eyed and runs against the sound management of a space programme that is now being starved of money,' American national-security analyst, nuclear expert and author Joseph Cirincione told the Independent. Nuclear has been used in space since the 1960s. The US launched its first test reactor into orbit in 1965, and the former Soviet Union has sent up dozens. Nasa says that a new 100-kilowatt reactor could be used to power a future base at the lunar South Pole, and fuel prospective missions to Mars and beyond. Nuclear would help to fill gaps in solar energy that occur when that side of the moon is in darkness. The majority of space experts have said that placing a reactor on the moon is possible, so why is Nasa's current plan 'cock-eyed'? The problem is the proposed timeline. Interim Nasa administrator Sean Duffy – who also serves as US president Donald Trump's transportation secretary – pushed to expedite the project detailed in a memo this week. Mr Duffy said the administration wanted to have a nuclear reactor ready to launch by 2030. Earlier this year, China and Russia announced a plan to build a nuclear reactor for a lunar base by 2035. 'The first country to do so could potentially declare a 'keep-out' zone, which would significantly inhibit the US from establishing a planned Artemis presence if not there first,' Mr Duffy said. Nasa first announced in 2021 that it would put a reactor on the moon 'within a decade'. In 2024, the agency said that their target date for delivery of a reactor to the launchpad was the early 2030s. But Mr Cirincione – who is vice-chair of the Centre for International Policy, a non-profit that advocates for a peaceful approach to foreign policy – says essentially no progress has been made. 'It was in the last Trump administration that Nasa had put out a press release ... about how they're going to develop these small, modular nuclear reactors for use on the moon, and it was going to be ready by 2026,' he said. 'Oh, really? So where is it?' He believes it could take up to 20 years for a nuclear reactor on the moon to become a reality. Nasa would need a working launch vehicle, a small and adaptable reactor, and the ability to land on the moon. Right now, the SpaceX Starship is the only option – but it has exploded during several of its test flights. Accelerating the [Fission Surface Power] programme could come at the expense of … core elements of Nasa's public-serving mission The agency has been working with Boeing on a space launch system – the main competitor to SpaceX's Starship – but that programme would be cancelled under the Trump administration's proposed cuts, which slash 24pc from Nasa's overall budget. There are also the scientific and technological advances needed for the nuclear reactors. They must be able to withstand harsh conditions on the moon, including temperature swings from 121C during the day to -246C at night. Many scientists and nuclear energy experts have shared in Mr Cirincione's scepticism. Kathryn Huff – a former nuclear energy official at the US department of energy, and a professor at the University of Illinois – wrote in a Bluesky social media post that she's not 'bullish' on 'unrealistic timelines'. 'The 2030 target does not align well with recent budgetary trends,' Dr Huff said in a statement shared by the university. 'Accelerating the [Fission Surface Power] programme could come at the expense of other critical priorities, including earth science, climate observation and space-based weather forecasting – all core elements of Nasa's public-serving mission.' Alfredo Carpineti, an Italian astrophysicist, wrote in IFLScience this week that the proposal is unfeasible: 'Even if we allow landing the nuclear reactor on December 31, 2030, the timing is really too short for something that must not have any faults if you want to operate it safely.' Others were more optimistic about Nasa's accelerated timeline. Sebastian Corbisiero – a senior technical adviser at Idaho National Laboratory who leads the US energy department's space reactor programme – told the Independent that a nuclear reactor on the moon is 'doable' by 2030. 'Nuclear reactor technology has been around for decades, so its well known,' he said. 'Some key differences with a space reactor is that it needs to fit on a rocket – so there are mass and volume requirements – and that the system needs to operate in vacuum, so components will need to be built to survive that environment.'
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
Peak of meteor showers has passed, but still a chance to see shooting stars and here's how
Every August, Earth makes contact with debris from comets passing near the sun. As the fragments enter the atmosphere, they burn brightly, creating an array of colourful streaks in the night sky. Editor of Astronomy Ireland magazine David Moore told the Irish Independent pictures of the meteor shower's peak have been flying in, and the Perseids will still be visible in Irish skies for a few more nights. "The peak was expected to be last night, and on the peak night you see 20 times more shooting stars than normal. On the night after and the night before, it's about half that rate. "That's still 10 times more meteors than on a normal night, so it's still well worth watching. Tomorrow night, it will be half that again, so a quarter of the peak, but still five times more meteors than normal. "I'll certainly be watching again tonight, tomorrow, and probably the night after.' To get the best viewing experience, stargazers should wait until the sky is fully dark, face away from the moon to avoid glare and make sure there are no obstructions along the horizon. Mr Moore said a phenomenon known as a 'double planet' is also visible in Irish skies at the moment, with Venus and Jupiter lined up together and appearing bright in the sky. "Jupiter is actually five times further than Venus, so they're not really passing close to one another. This morning, you had Venus blazing 100 times brighter than the brightest star in the sky and Jupiter sitting just above it, a little bit dimmer, but still dozens of times brighter than the brightest star." Having used computers to look ahead to 2050, Mr Moore said there will not be another time when Jupiter and Venus will line up this closely and be visible over Ireland, making this a 'once in a century or once in a lifetime event'. "It really is spectacular to the naked eye. We've had some pictures sent in that were just taken with a phone camera, so there's no special equipment needed. "I've never seen anything like it in my lifetime and I've been watching the sky for decades.' The double planet will continue to be visible for the next few mornings and Mr Moore said the best time to look at them will be in the early hours of the morning. "About 4am is the best time every morning during the coming week. Next Wednesday, they'll still be close and the moon will join the scene. The only things brighter than Venus and Jupiter are the sun and the moon. That's going to be a very special morning to watch.' Big events in the world of astronomy are coming like buses according to Mr Moore, with another chance to see something special coming on Sunday, September 7. "On September the 7th, there's going to be a total eclipse of the moon visible from Ireland, so when the moon rises that evening there will be a blood moon.'
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Cancer could be diagnosed from the sound of your VOICE ‘within years'
Anyone with a hoarse voice is already told to visit the GP LISTEN UP Cancer could be diagnosed from the sound of your VOICE 'within years' THE early signs of cancer could be detected by listening to a patient's voice, scientists say. Using AI, subtle changes in the acoustics of a person's voice helped pick up lesions in people diagnosed with voice box cancer. 2 The sound of your voice could indicate whether you have signs of cancer Credit: Getty Researchers believe AI could be trained to hear these changes within a "couple of years'. There are around 2,000 new cases of voice box (laryngeal) cancer in the UK each year. A hoarse voice for more than three weeks can be a key symptom, and should be investigated by a GP. Using AI for diagnosis could spell the end of uncomfortable tests currently used, such as a biopsy or nasendoscopy, in which a thin tube with a video camera is passed through the nose down the back of the throat. Read more on cancer HIGH FIVE The 5 simple tweaks you can make TODAY to slash your risk of 5 killer diseases The American team, part of the 'Bridge2AI-Voice' project, gathered voice recordings of 300 patients, some of whom had voice box cancer. They studied at least six features of voice acoustics: the mean fundamental frequency (pitch); jitter, variation in pitch within speech; shimmer, variation of the amplitude; and the harmonic-to-noise ratio. There were "marked" differences between men with and without cancer or a voice box disorder, such as nodules or polyps, specifically the harmonic-to-noise ratio, according to the findings published in the journal Frontiers in Digital Health. It's possible the same will be found for women with a larger dataset. One of the study's authors, Dr Phillip Jenkins, of Oregon Health & Science University, said: "To move from this study to an AI tool that recognises vocal fold lesions, we would train models using an even larger dataset of voice recordings, labelled by professionals. "We then need to test the system to make sure it works equally well for women and men. BBC Gardeners world fans in tears as star reveals terminal cancer diagnosis during show "Voice-based health tools are already being piloted. "I estimate that with larger datasets and clinical validation, similar tools to detect vocal fold lesions might enter pilot testing in the next couple of years." 2 Voice box cancer, or laryngeal cancer, causes voice hoarseness, pain swallowing, or difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath and weight loss Credit: Getty The symptoms of voice box cancer Cancer Research UK have said there are four key symptoms of laryngeal cancer to look out for: 1. Hoarseness or a change in your voice If you have a hoarse voice for more than 3 weeks, it could be a sign of laryngeal cancer, says Cancer Research UK. It's worth seeing a doctor for a full check up and diagnosis, as inflammation of the larynx can also be caused by a cold, a chest infection and overuse of the voice, like singing. 2. Pain or difficulty swallowing If you're experiencing pain or having difficulty swallowing, it might be an indicator something is wrong. Visit your GP if for three weeks or more, you feel: that there is something small stuck in your throat you are struggling to swallow food some pain or a burning sensation when swallowing food that your food is sticking in your throat 3. Shortness of breath Experiencing shortness of breath is a symptom that should trigger an urgent response. Call 999 if you suddenly experience shortness of breath or are struggling to breathe. Some people may also find they have a cough that doesn't go away, they find it difficult to breath or when they inhale it's become noisy (stridor). 4. Weight loss Sudden or dramatic weight loss is a key sign of cancer, including laryngeal. Usually it will happen alongside other symptoms and the body's way of communicating that there is a problem. It may also happen because you're eating less due to pain or because you're having difficulty swallowing. You should see your doctor if you have lost 4 to 5 kg (10lbs) or more in a short time.
