Latest news with #Apollo12
CBC
23-05-2025
- Science
- CBC
With uncertainty around life on Mars, human visits present an ethical dilemma
The first step by a human on the surface of Mars will inevitably transfer Earthly microbes onto Martian soil. Scientists are increasingly concerned with what the implications of contaminating another planet will be. A recent study, published this month in the journal Microbiome, analyzed the clean rooms at the Kennedy Space Center, where Mars landers are sterilized before launch. The team found 26 species of novel bacteria that could potentially survive the harsh environment of space. These organisms contain genes that enhance DNA repair, detoxification of harmful molecules, and enhance metabolism, all of which makes them more hardy. NASA goes to great lengths to ensure any spacecraft that departs for Mars is sterilized in these ultra-clean rooms and sealed in capsules before launch to prevent cross-contamination between two planets. We don't know whether any of these microbes actually made it to Mars because we have no way of examining the spacecraft while they are on the Red Planet. The chances of microbes surviving the vacuum of space, extreme temperatures, along with solar and cosmic radiation are slim, however there was a case where Earth microbes did seem to survive for years on the moon. In 1969, the crew of Apollo 12 landed close to a robotic probe called Surveyor 3 which had arrived on the lunar surface three years earlier. The astronauts removed a television camera, electrical cables and a sample scoop which were returned to Earth for study on the long term effects of exposure to space. To everyone's surprise, a common bacteria, Streptococcus mitis, was found inside the camera lens. This harmless organism, normally found in the mouth and throat of humans, was thought to have been on the spacecraft before launch because Surveyor was not sterilized. A later study done by NASA in 1998 suggested the bacteria could have come from contamination due to poor procedures after the lens was returned to Earth. But there is still the possibility that microbes could survive in space. Sterilizing a robotic spacecraft to prevent contamination is one thing, but sterilizing human beings is impossible. We are substantially made of bacteria, covered in microbes from head to toe and internally, constantly shedding them with dead skin and other detritus. And those organisms will travel with us to Mars. WATCH | Saturday cleaning day on the Space Station: New species of bacteria have been found inside China's Tiangong-1 space station and astronauts on the International Space Station are constantly cleaning the walls to prevent the buildup of microbes in that sealed environment. This is evidence that bacteria can survive the higher radiation environment of a space habitat. That means any human boot that touches the Martian soil will bring with it organisms from inside the spacecraft or colony. Whether those bugs could survive long in the Martian environment is to be determined, but the more serious issue is what they would do to any indigenous organisms that could already be living on Mars. Curiosity, one of the rovers currently driving around on the Red Planet, has been collecting soil samples from different areas and sealing them in tubes to be collected and returned to Earth by a future sample return mission. The idea is to look for signs of current life or fossils of past life using the powerful tools in Earth laboratories. But NASA is proposing cancelling the sample return, so we may not know for some time whether microbes exist in Martian soil. Mars shows signs of a warm and wet past, where the planet was once covered with lakes, rivers and oceans. This was during a time, roughly three billion years ago, when life was emerging on Earth. So far, no signs of life have been found on Mars, but we have only been looking on the surface, not underground where water might exist. Still, there is talk of sending people to Mars, even establishing a Mars colony. But is that wise before we determine whether the planet has life or not? In the classic science fiction story, War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, Martians come to Earth with invincible machines that wreak havoc on cities. Our most powerful weapons are useless against their incredible power. But eventually, the invaders are taken down by the tiniest creature, the common cold, for which they had no resistance. In real life, the tables are turned.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Blue Origin's all-women flight to launch today with Gayle King, Katy Perry on board
Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos's space tourism company, will launch its latest spaceflight this morning with a historic all-women crew. Those on board 'New Shepard (NS)' include CBS This Morning host Gayle King, pop singer Katy Perry, activist Amanda Nguyen, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, film producer Kerianne Flynn and former TV host Lauren Sánchez, who is Bezos's fiancée. This flight is called NS-31. KIRO 7 will be taking the launch live throughout our morning newscasts. Each spaceflight lasts about 11 minutes, taking passengers just past the Kármán line — 62 miles above Earth, which some international aviation and aerospace experts consider the threshold of space — allowing the crew to experience a few minutes of weightlessness. The rocket will then descend back to Earth, with its single engine restarting to slow the booster down to just 6 mph for a controlled landing back on the launchpad. The capsule carrying the crew descends separately, deploying three parachutes for its landing nearby. According to Elle Magazine, Bowe will be bringing up the Apollo 12 flag, courtesy of the Museum of Flight in Tukwila. Crews have been prepping by taking zero-gravity flight simulations. It's unclear how much a seat on the New Shepard costs, but according to its website, there's a $150,000 fully-refundable deposit to begin the process. In 2022, MoonDAO, marketed as 'the internet's space program' said it paid about $2.5 million for two seats.
Arab News
13-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Japanese leader says he hopes Osaka expo will help reunite a divided world
OSAKA, Japan: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, speaking at Saturday's opening ceremony for the Osaka expo, expressed his hope that the event will help restore global unity in a world plagued by conflicts and trade wars. 'The world, having overcome the coronavirus pandemic, is now threatened by an array of divisions,' Ishiba said. 'At a time like this, it is extremely meaningful that people from around the world gather here and discuss the theme of life and experience cutting-edge technology, diverse ideas and culture.' Expo 2025 Osaka officially opened Sunday, with the theme of life, world and the future, and Japan hopes to bring unity and portray a future society. But the event's celebrations have been somewhat dampened by US President Donald Trump's recent tariff threats, which add to global tension and uncertainty, with Russia's war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East dragging on. Citing the expo's iconic lattice-like wooden 'Grand Ring,' which symbolizes unity and encircles the venue, Ishiba said: 'I sincerely hope the world will unite again through interactions among countries and visitors in and outside of this ring.' The costly ring, the world's largest wooden architectural structure, is 20 meters (65 feet) high and has a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) circumference. During the six-month event on the reclaimed island and industrial waste burial site of Yumeshima, which means dream island, in the Osaka Bay, the city is hosting some 180 countries, regions and organizations showcasing their futuristic exhibits inside of about 80 pavilions of unique designs. It is Osaka's second world expo after the 1970 event that scored a huge success and attracted 64 million visitors — a record until Shanghai in 2010. This time, Japan has faced dwindling public interest, and support and was hit by soaring construction costs due to the weaker yen. The cost nearly doubled from the initial estimate to 235 billion yen ($1.64 billion), about 14 percent of which went to the ring, triggering criticisms from many Japanese over the government's use of their tax money. The cost increase also caused construction delays for some countries. Several pavilions, including those of Nepal and India, were not quite ready Saturday. Conflicts also affected preparations for Ukraine and the Palestinians. Russia did not participate. Ticket sales have been slow. So far, 9 million advance tickets had been sold, far short of the organizers' target of 14 million. Organizers hope to have more than 28 million visitors at the event that lasts through Oct. 13. Emperor Naruhito, in his address at Saturday's opening ceremony, recalled visiting the earlier expo as a fascinating experience for a then 10-year-old prince. 'I vividly remember how excited I was coming across the latest technology, playing with a wireless phone and looking at the moon rock,' brought back by the US Apollo 12 lunar mission, said the emperor, now 65. Naruhito said he hoped the second Osaka expo would be as successful and expressed hope that children will learn more about people, regions and the world and think about future society by interacting with next-generation technologies and efforts for sustainable future.
The Hill
12-04-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Japanese leader says he hopes Osaka expo will help reunite a divided world
OSAKA, Japan (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, speaking at Saturday's opening ceremony for the Osaka expo, expressed his hope that the event will help restore global unity in a world plagued by conflicts and trade wars. 'The world, having overcome the coronavirus pandemic, is now threatened by an array of divisions,' Ishiba said. 'At a time like this, it is extremely meaningful that people from around the world gather here and discuss the theme of life and experience cutting-edge technology, diverse ideas and culture.' Expo 2025 Osaka officially opens Sunday, with the theme of life, world and the future, and Japan hopes to bring unity and portray a future society. But the event's celebrations have been somewhat dampened by U.S. President Donald Trump's recent tariff threats, which add to global tension and uncertainty, with Russia's war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East dragging on. Citing the expo's iconic lattice-like wooden 'Grand Ring,' which symbolizes unity and encircles the venue, Ishiba said: 'I sincerely hope the world will unite again through interactions among countries and visitors in and outside of this ring.' The costly ring, the world's largest wooden architectural structure, is 20 meters (65 feet) high and has a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) circumference. During the six-month event on the reclaimed island and industrial waste burial site of Yumeshima, which means dream island, in the Osaka Bay, the city is hosting some 180 countries, regions and organizations showcasing their futuristic exhibits inside of about 80 pavilions of unique designs. It is Osaka's second world expo after the 1970 event that scored a huge success and attracted 64 million visitors — a record until Shanghai in 2010. This time, Japan has faced dwindling public interest, and support and was hit by soaring construction costs due to the weaker yen. The cost nearly doubled from the initial estimate to 235 billion yen ($1.64 billion), about 14% of which went to the ring, triggering criticisms from many Japanese over the government's use of their tax money. The cost increase also caused construction delays for some countries. Several pavilions, including those of Nepal and India, were not quite ready Saturday. Conflicts also affected preparations for Ukraine and the Palestinians. Russia did not participate. Ticket sales have been slow. So far, 9 million advance tickets had been sold, far short of the organizers' target of 14 million. Organizers hope to have more than 28 million visitors at the event that lasts through Oct. 13. Emperor Naruhito, in his address at Saturday's opening ceremony, recalled visiting the earlier expo as a fascinating experience for a then 10-year-old prince. 'I vividly remember how excited I was coming across the latest technology, playing with a wireless phone and looking at the moon rock,' brought back by the U.S. Apollo 12 lunar mission, said the emperor, now 65. Naruhito said he hoped the second Osaka expo would be as successful and expressed hope that children will learn more about people, regions and the world and think about future society by interacting with next-generation technologies and efforts for sustainable future. ___ This story corrects target attendance to 28 million, not 280 million.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Japanese leader says he hopes Osaka expo will help reunite a divided world
OSAKA, Japan (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, speaking at Saturday's opening ceremony for the Osaka expo, expressed his hope that the event will help restore global unity in a world plagued by conflicts and trade wars. 'The world, having overcome the coronavirus pandemic, is now threatened by an array of divisions,' Ishiba said. 'At a time like this, it is extremely meaningful that people from around the world gather here and discuss the theme of life and experience cutting-edge technology, diverse ideas and culture.' Expo 2025 Osaka officially opens Sunday, with the theme of life, world and the future, and Japan hopes to bring unity and portray a future society. But the event's celebrations have been somewhat dampened by U.S. President Donald Trump's recent tariff threats, which add to global tension and uncertainty, with Russia's war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East dragging on. Citing the expo's iconic lattice-like wooden 'Grand Ring,' which symbolizes unity and encircles the venue, Ishiba said: 'I sincerely hope the world will unite again through interactions among countries and visitors in and outside of this ring." The costly ring, the world's largest wooden architectural structure, is 20 meters (65 feet) high and has a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) circumference. During the six-month event on the reclaimed island and industrial waste burial site of Yumeshima, which means dream island, in the Osaka Bay, the city is hosting some 180 countries, regions and organizations showcasing their futuristic exhibits inside of about 80 pavilions of unique designs. It is Osaka's second world expo after the 1970 event that scored a huge success and attracted 64 million visitors — a record until Shanghai in 2010. This time, Japan has faced dwindling public interest, and support and was hit by soaring construction costs due to the weaker yen. The cost nearly doubled from the initial estimate to 235 billion yen ($1.64 billion), about 14% of which went to the ring, triggering criticisms from many Japanese over the government's use of their tax money. The cost increase also caused construction delays for some countries. Several pavilions, including those of Nepal and India, were not quite ready Saturday. Conflicts also affected preparations for Ukraine and the Palestinians. Russia did not participate. Ticket sales have been slow. So far, 9 million advance tickets had been sold, far short of the organizers' target of 14 million. Organizers hope to have more than 28 million visitors at the event that lasts through Oct. 13. Emperor Naruhito, in his address at Saturday's opening ceremony, recalled visiting the earlier expo as a fascinating experience for a then 10-year-old prince. 'I vividly remember how excited I was coming across the latest technology, playing with a wireless phone and looking at the moon rock,' brought back by the U.S. Apollo 12 lunar mission, said the emperor, now 65. Naruhito said he hoped the second Osaka expo would be as successful and expressed hope that children will learn more about people, regions and the world and think about future society by interacting with next-generation technologies and efforts for sustainable future. ___ This story corrects target attendance to 28 million, not 280 million. ___ Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo. Ayaka Mcgill And Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press Sign in to access your portfolio
