SPACE DIVERSITY: EUROPE'S SPACE AGENCY GETS 1ST PARASTRONAUT
Techlife News|November 26, 2022
The European Space Agency made history by selecting an amputee who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident to be among its newest batch of astronauts - a leap toward its pioneering ambition to send someone with a physical disability into space.
SPACE DIVERSITY: EUROPE'S SPACE AGENCY GETS 1ST PARASTRONAUT

John McFall, a 41-year-old Briton who lost his right leg when he was 19 and went on to compete in the Paralympics, called his selection at Europe's answer to NASA "a real turning point and mark in history." 

"ESA has a commitment to send an astronaut with a physical disability into space... This is the first time that a space agency has endeavored to embark on a project like this. And it sends a really, really strong message to humanity," he said.

The newly-minted parastronaut joins five career astronauts in the final selection unveiled during a Paris news conference - the conclusion of the agency's first recruitment drive in over a decade aimed at bringing diversity to space travel.

The list also included two women: France's Sophie Adenot and the UK's Rosemary Coogan, new ambassadors for another greatly underrepresented section for European astronauts. A small minority of those who have explored space have been women, and most of those were Americans.

Wednesday's list did not, however, include any persons of color. The hiring campaign didn't specifically address ethnic diversity, but at the time stressed the importance of "representing all parts of our society."

McFall will follow a different path than his fellow astronauts because he will participate in a groundbreaking feasibility study exploring whether physical disability will impair space travel. It's uncharted land, since no major Western space agency has ever put a parastronaut into space, according to the ESA.

Bu hikaye Techlife News dergisinin November 26, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Techlife News dergisinin November 26, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

TECHLIFE NEWS DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
OFFSHORE WIND INDUSTRY SAYS 'MISINFORMATION' FROM FOES IS A STRONG HEADWIND IT MUST FIGHT
Techlife News

OFFSHORE WIND INDUSTRY SAYS 'MISINFORMATION' FROM FOES IS A STRONG HEADWIND IT MUST FIGHT

The U.S offshore wind energy industry says it needs to fight back against disinformation being spread by opponents of wind farms.

time-read
3 dak  |
November 02, 2024
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SCAMMERS OFFERING FAKE JOBS
Techlife News

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SCAMMERS OFFERING FAKE JOBS

Between finding openings, sending out your resume and interviewing, looking for a job is tough. Now a growing trend of scammers impersonating recruiters is making it even harder.

time-read
4 dak  |
November 02, 2024
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR BODY AND MIND FOR THE END OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Techlife News

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR BODY AND MIND FOR THE END OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

The good news: You will get a glorious extra hour of sleep. The bad: It’ll be dark as a pocket by late afternoon for the next few months in the U.S.

time-read
2 dak  |
November 02, 2024
IN 'IBELIN' AND 'GRAND THEFT HAMLET,' VIDEO GAME REALMS DRAW FILMMAKERS WITH VIRTUAL CAMERAS
Techlife News

IN 'IBELIN' AND 'GRAND THEFT HAMLET,' VIDEO GAME REALMS DRAW FILMMAKERS WITH VIRTUAL CAMERAS

Film productions often wrestle with shifts in the weather, the threat of the crew going into overtime or the fading of a day’s light. Less common are concerns over the cast slipping off the top of a blimp.

time-read
5 dak  |
November 02, 2024
RESEARCHERS SAY AN AI-POWERED TRANSCRIPTION TOOL USED IN HOSPITALS INVENTS THINGS NO ONE EVER SAID
Techlife News

RESEARCHERS SAY AN AI-POWERED TRANSCRIPTION TOOL USED IN HOSPITALS INVENTS THINGS NO ONE EVER SAID

Tech behemoth OpenAI has touted its artificial intelligence-powered transcription tool Whisper as having near “human level robustness and accuracy.”

time-read
5 dak  |
November 02, 2024
WORLD SERIES GAME 3 AVERAGES 13.64 MILLION.BEATS 'MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL'
Techlife News

WORLD SERIES GAME 3 AVERAGES 13.64 MILLION.BEATS 'MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL'

The World Series beat “Monday Night Football” in the battle for television viewers.

time-read
1 min  |
November 02, 2024
FITNESS APP STRAVA GIVES AWAY LOCATION OF BIDEN, TRUMP AND OTHER LEADERS, FRENCH NEWSPAPER SAYS
Techlife News

FITNESS APP STRAVA GIVES AWAY LOCATION OF BIDEN, TRUMP AND OTHER LEADERS, FRENCH NEWSPAPER SAYS

An investigation by French newspaper Le Monde found that the highly confidential movements of U.S. President Joe Biden, presidential rivals Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and other world leaders can be easily tracked online through a fitness app that their bodyguards use.

time-read
3 dak  |
November 02, 2024
GOOGLE'S MONEYMAKING MACHINE STILL PUMPING OUT MASSIVE PROFITS DESPITE MULTIPLE THREATS
Techlife News

GOOGLE'S MONEYMAKING MACHINE STILL PUMPING OUT MASSIVE PROFITS DESPITE MULTIPLE THREATS

Google is still thriving while the company navigates through a pivotal shift to artificial intelligence and battles regulators trying to topple its internet empire.

time-read
2 dak  |
November 02, 2024
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. SAYS HE 'INTENDS TO SUE' ALL FUTURE EXECUTIVES WHO USE HIS AI REPLICA
Techlife News

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. SAYS HE 'INTENDS TO SUE' ALL FUTURE EXECUTIVES WHO USE HIS AI REPLICA

Robert Downey Jr. doesn’t think Marvel executives would ever recreate his portrayal of Tony Stark using artificial intelligence. But if they did, he would lawyer up — even posthumously.

time-read
2 dak  |
November 02, 2024
APPLE LAUNCHES THE IPHONE INTO THE AI ERA WITH FREE SOFTWARE UPDATE
Techlife News

APPLE LAUNCHES THE IPHONE INTO THE AI ERA WITH FREE SOFTWARE UPDATE

Apple is releasing a free software update that will inject its first dose of artificial intelligence into its iPhone 16 lineup as the trendsetting company tries to catch up with technology’s latest craze.

time-read
3 dak  |
November 02, 2024