IS LIVING ON MARS A BILLIONAIRE'S FANTASY?
A base on the Red Planet might be filled with some annoying housemates, but that doesn't mean we can't aspire to setting up a permanent settlement there
On 18 November 2023, SpaceX launched one of the largest rockets ever constructed. Starship marks a step change for humanity's relationship with space - a reusable rocket so powerful that it could carry the mass of today's painstakingly built International Space Station in just two to three launches, and likely quite a bit cheaper. Dreams from the days of the Apollo programme, long squashed by the high cost of space access, are returning and with them, arguments about the value of space to our species.
As with many experimental rockets, Starship failed to achieve all of its goals. Its first rocket stage exploded, and the second needed to self-destruct. Reactions are illustrative of the divide between space analysts and much of the media (and the public). To many, it was proof of failure. Those in the space-geek community generally viewed it as a success. Starship, a rocket the size of a skyscraper, soared 150km (over 90 miles) at high speed, gathering a trove of valuable data before malfunctioning. Not failure progress with a bang.
THEATRE OF HOPE
Space settlement researchers occasionally find themselves arguing about the value of space. For the most gung-ho space advocates, it's a theatre of all hope. It's a way to get rich from asteroid resources, to save the environment by offloading people and industry from an overburdened Earth, and a chance to create a second home for humanity that could survive the death of our planet. Others question why we spend so much on space when we have so many problems on Earth. Some wonder darkly if space billionaires are cultivating a Martian redoubt as a kind of off-world bunker, in case our planet is ruined by climate change or war.
Denne historien er fra New Year 2024-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
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Denne historien er fra New Year 2024-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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THE HUNGER GAME
Obesity is on the rise, but as we blame our unhealthy food-ridden environment and look to wonder drugs to get rid of unwanted fat, what role do our genetics play?
HOW THE UNIVERSE WILL END
A colossal supercollider now in the early stages of development may one day help us predict the ultimate fate of the Universe. With it, scientists will be trying to find a hidden instability built into the fabric of existence... an instability that could destroy everything
DARK ENERGY MIGHT BE ABOUT TO THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS
The most mysterious phenomenon in the Universe could be about to spring another surprise on us
TAKE-OFF AT LAST
AFTER A LONG WAIT, THE WORLD'S FIRST ZERO EMISSIONS AEROPLANES ARE FINALLY TAXIING TO REALITY. BUT ARE THEY THE SOLUTION WE NEED?
INSIDE THE 3D, NANOSCALE ATLAS THAT REVEALS A FRACTION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN
The map is now the highest-resolution picture of the human brain ever created
HOW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN NUCLEAR FORENSICS MAY HELP CLEAN UP CHERNOBYL
Contrary to popular belief, radioactive material doesn't glow. But a team of nuclear forensics experts are working on a device to make it do just that. BBC Science Focus's Noa Leach meets the scientists behind the innovative device
MAJOR STUDY SHOWS HOW ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS CHANGE YOUR LIFESPAN, IF YOU'RE NOT EATING YOUR VEG
While ultra-processed food is bad for your health, a decades-long study suggests it may not be as harmful as previously thought
ORIGIN OF EARTH'S 'SECOND MOON' DISCOVERED
Asteroid sampling mission will confirm whether moon-like Kamo'oalewa came from our Moon
INTERMITTENT FASTING AND CORRECTLY TIMED WORKOUTS ARE KEY TO FAT LOSS, SAYS STUDY
A new approach to dieting and exercise could help you lose weight and enhance your health
MASSIVE EXPLOSION SPOTTED ON MYSTERIOUS DEAD STAR
A satellite in the right place at the right time captured an important cosmic sight