Russia is preparing to launch 75 mice and 1,000 fruit flies into space as part of a month-long mission that will show how cosmic radiation affects living organisms.
The research by Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, and the Institute of Biomedical Problems could prove helpful as agencies set their sights on resuming manned missions to the Moon, and eventually to Mars.
The mice and flies, as well as plant seeds, algae, microorganisms and cell cultures, will be loaded on to the Bion-M No 2 biosatellite, scheduled to be launched on August 20 from Kazakhstan. It will travel around the Earth for 30 days.
The spacecraft will orbit in a region where cosmic radiation is much higher than what astronauts experience aboard the International Space Station, Roscosmos said on Telegram.
“Mice and flies will soon be sent into space,” the post said. “They will help scientists understand how space phenomena affect living organisms in the range where the level of cosmic radiation is approximately 30 per cent higher than in near-Earth orbit. This is important for preparing people for long-distance space flights.”
The study will compare three groups of mice – one living in normal conditions on Earth, a second kept in identical flight hardware in a laboratory on Earth and the third sent into space.
Cameras, sensors and implanted chips will monitor the rodents and allow researchers to track changes to their hormones, immunity and metabolism.
‘Mini-hotel’ for mice
The mice will be placed in a unit described by Roscosmos as a “miniature hotel". It has its own lighting, ventilation, feeding and waste disposal systems.
The mission carries five modules, four stocked with paste-like food that also boosts hydration and one unit where “premium passengers” will dine on dry food and water in gel form.
The use of cell cultures could also help to deepen our understanding of how radiation alters biological processes at every scale.
Scientists have known for decades that radiation is one of the biggest barriers to long-term human space travel. Earth is shielded by radiation by its atmosphere and magnetic field, but deep space exposes astronauts to cosmic rays and bursts of solar radiation.
Bigger picture
Dr Dimitra Atri, principal investigator at NYU Abu Dhabi’s space exploration laboratory, told The National that the risks of travelling through deep space are often underestimated.
“Space radiation is relentless and deeply underestimated," he said. "Researching how radiation impacts life is crucial for protecting astronauts during extended missions to the Moon and beyond, as it helps develop effective shielding, medical countermeasures and mission protocols to reduce long-term health risks."
“Without aggressive research, our dreams of living and working beyond low Earth orbit will remain fantasies. If we don’t tackle this head on, future astronauts could pay a steep price with health.”
The Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s tackled the issue by limiting how long astronauts could remain on the surface of the Moon. But with Nasa's Artemis programme, the US space agency and its partners are preparing for missions that could last weeks and months, exposing astronauts to higher doses of radiation. Mars missions, which could last two to three years, would be even more challenging.
China and Russia are also developing a lunar research station, with China aiming to send an astronaut to the Moon before 2030.
Dr Ashok Narayanamoorthi, a space medicine expert, told The National previously that secondary radiation was the main problem facing astronauts. “It bombards the space capsule or your habitat and enters as secondary harmful radiation. Protective clothing available so far is very bulky … it can’t be easily used for daily life," he added.
Revival of Soviet legacy
Russia has a long history of sending animals into space, dating back to the Soviet era when a dog named Laika became the first living creature to orbit Earth aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957.
Over the decades, dogs, monkeys and other small animals were launched on flights to test the limits of life beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Bion-M No 1 launched in 2013, carrying mice, geckos and other organisms for a 30-day flight.
This latest mission reflects Russia’s hope to remain a key player in biological space research, even as international collaboration with Roscosmos has dropped since the outbreak of war with Ukraine.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Company%20Profile
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
