On this week’s newsdesk: NASA studies twin astronauts, huge protests demand action on climate change and a computer helps invent a new sport!
Nasa studies impact of space on the human body
A new NASA study has revealed clues about how the human body responds to life in space.
Astronaut Scott Kelly spent a year living on the International Space Station, or ISS.
Meanwhile, his identical twin brother, astronaut Mark Kelly, stayed on Earth.
Mark was the scientific control – meaning he was like Scott in every way except for the fact that he wasn’t in space!
The same tests were carried out on both brothers and scientists compared the results to work out how life on the ISS affected Scott’s body. NASA says the findings show that his body adapted well to the extreme environment of space. The study could help future astronauts prepare for long journeys in space – for example, to Mars!
Protests demand action on climate change
Thousands of protestors in cities across the world have called for governments to take urgent action against climate change. The group behind the protests is called Extinction Rebellion. The biggest protest was in London, where people blocked traffic by sitting on roads and chaining themselves to vehicles. Over a thousand people have been arrested.The protestors have been criticised for stopping people getting to work and for taking up police time.
However, they claim that legal protests, such as petitions and marches have failed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.
They argue that breaking the law is now the only way to persuade governments to act.
A new sport invented by a computer!
A design company in the United States has partnered with a computer programme to invent a new sport! The programme was given information about 400 existing sports, and trained to use this data to create its own concepts for new sports. The final result is “Speedgate”! It mixes elements of croquet, rugby and football! The computer didn’t come up with all the details, though, it provided suggestions, which the humans developed and tested.
Some of its ideas were nonsensical, impractical and even dangerous. For example, how would you like to play tennis on a tight rope between two hot air balloons?!
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