A protein unique to a miniscule creature called a water bear, reputedly the most indestructible animal on Earth, protects human DNA from X-ray damage, stunned researchers reported Tuesday.Human cells cultivated with the newly-discovered protein, dubbed "Dsup" for "damage suppressor", experienced half as much decay as normal cells when blasted with radiation."We were really surprised," said lead author Takuma Hashimoto, a biologist at the University of Tokyo who designed the experiments.Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-09-protein-shields-human-dna-x-rays.html#jCp
Water bear derived anti radiation pills/ IV infusions?http://phys.org/news/2016-09-protein-shields-human-dna-x-rays.htmlthe little critters resist radiation thanks to a protein they make. QuoteA protein unique to a miniscule creature called a water bear, reputedly the most indestructible animal on Earth, protects human DNA from X-ray damage, stunned researchers reported Tuesday.Human cells cultivated with the newly-discovered protein, dubbed "Dsup" for "damage suppressor", experienced half as much decay as normal cells when blasted with radiation."We were really surprised," said lead author Takuma Hashimoto, a biologist at the University of Tokyo who designed the experiments.Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-09-protein-shields-human-dna-x-rays.html#jCp
Yeah, biotech will be transformative to spaceflight.Radiation mitigation via a pill. Microgravity mitigation, too. Torpor. Even longer term hibernation. Life extension. Humans are actually pretty compact for the capability they bring, provided you could keep them on ice most of the trip and safe during the rest.
Quote from: Robotbeat on 09/27/2016 01:24 amYeah, biotech will be transformative to spaceflight.Radiation mitigation via a pill. Microgravity mitigation, too. Torpor. Even longer term hibernation. Life extension. Humans are actually pretty compact for the capability they bring, provided you could keep them on ice most of the trip and safe during the rest.I just wanted to quickly ask - if humans are kept "on ice" during space travel, whether in a slow-metabolic hibernation, or even literally frozen cryogenically - then how would it affect their radiation resistance/tolerance? Sure, your regular active metabolism can cause cancer to grow, but it also fights cancer and radiation damage - so would slowing it down or even stopping it completely then improve or impair your ability to withstand the damaging effects of radiation?For instance, I could imagine some cryogenically frozen astronaut waking up after a century of space travel, only to find that he's accumulated a century's worth of radiation damage in space, so that his cells quickly start malfunctioning from the cumulative damage after he's thawed out.Likewise, I can similarly imagine an astronaut waking up after a decade of metabolically-slowed hibernation in space, finding out that he's got lots of tumors growing within him, because his previously slowed immune system wasn't able to repair radiation damage or fight off cancerous growths fast enough.What's going to prevent scenarios like that?
Composite structures. Before today I honestly can say it would never have occurred to me (especially after venture star) to try and build an entire vehicle out of carbon composites for the primary structures.
Quote from: FinalFrontier on 09/28/2016 12:52 amComposite structures. Before today I honestly can say it would never have occurred to me (especially after venture star) to try and build an entire vehicle out of carbon composites for the primary structures.Huh? You'll find composites used at least somewhere on any modern aeroplane you care to fly on - if not for the entire thing.Composite structures are old tech now... very 20th century.
Quote from: CameronD on 09/28/2016 11:54 pmQuote from: FinalFrontier on 09/28/2016 12:52 amComposite structures. Before today I honestly can say it would never have occurred to me (especially after venture star) to try and build an entire vehicle out of carbon composites for the primary structures.Huh? You'll find composites used at least somewhere on any modern aeroplane you care to fly on - if not for the entire thing.Composite structures are old tech now... very 20th century.It is about large composite structures that can withstand relatively high pressures and cryogenic fuels.
Unitam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant!
Despite their low-power, relative to current battery technologies, the life-time of these diamond batteries could revolutionise the powering of devices over long timescales. Using carbon-14 the battery would take 5,730 years to reach 50 per cent power, which is about as long as human civilization has existed.Professor Scott added: "We envision these batteries to be used in situations where it is not feasible to charge or replace conventional batteries. Obvious applications would be in low-power electrical devices where long life of the energy source is needed, such as pacemakers, satellites, high-altitude drones or even spacecraft.Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-11-diamond-age-power-nuclear-batteries.html#jCp
I'm no believer in global warming
yeah about that. we were "recently" in an ice age. just entering an interglacial period. so yeah the globe will warm and it does not matter one darn what we humans do it will still warm and warm and warm until it cools and we enter another period of glaciation. no amount of paying people to pretend to plant trees or how we tax the stuffings out of people or corps, sign away national sovereignty to a bloated evil oppressive multinational organization or even if we switch our entire energy sector to wind solar geothermal and tidal power the planet will still go on warming. It has been warmer in the past it is cooler now and actually life on earth does better when it is warmer.
Well there are already cow suits...