Ideas for Scientific Experiments to be Done in Space? 22
Mark Shuttleworth asks: "I'm hoping to launch an African Space Program by flying to space with the Russians. There have been some ups and downs along the road ;-) There is still no certainty, but the battle is half the fun. The program includes science, education and media. We have some great science experiments submitted by South African scientists, in physiology, genetics, proteomics and stem cell work. I wonder what ideas the Slashdot community has for world class space science or education, or other suggestions to make this project a huge success for Africa? If someone has a great idea, and it requires only safe, light, COTS equipment, I will try to get it onto the flight when/if I ever get up there. Any ideas are welcome. I'm looking for science experiments that are of interest to Africa, that are cutting edge, and that can only be done from space. Or educational things that demonstrate fun science that is uniquely possible in space. And yes, Debian, Python, Mozilla, POV, LAME, TTR and other friends will ride along too."
SEX!! (Score:1)
Waste of money (Score:4, Insightful)
OK, once you're going out there, maybe there are some protein folding experiments that might actually have some value. Africa related -- I dunno. Maybe you can breed rhinos up there where poachers can't get to them.
And yes, Debian, Python, Mozilla, POV, LAME, TTR and other friends will ride along too.
Ooooh, yeah, that's the fundamental question that launches all sorts of worthwhile science: what distro should I bring to space?
Re:Waste of money (Score:1)
Yes, unmanned space science is much more cost effective for those types of science that CAN be done without human interaction. But unmanned flight will never put a (hu)man on another planet, and sooner or later, we need to grow beyond Earth.
Egg fertilization in microgravity (Score:3, Interesting)
So, my suggestion is: get eggs and sperm from some mammal (say: a dog, a horse, a cow or a monkey) and simulate the conditions in which the sperm try to fertilise the egg, to determine what happens.
Re:Egg fertilization in microgravity (Score:1)
Re:Egg fertilization in microgravity (Score:1)
Re:Egg fertilization in microgravity (Score:1)
Just pondering.
Re:Egg fertilization in microgravity (Score:1)
Yeah (Score:1)
Any bets on the winner?
plants? (Score:1)
either way, i'd like to see a tree grown in 0 gravity
Re:plants? (Score:1)
Re:plants? (Score:1)
What is it about "zero gravity"? (Score:1)
But what *is* it about it that facilitates research in areas like tissue/immunology/etc.?
Why is space preferable to a laboratory on earth?