1706566846 Exploring Space from an Indigenous Perspective – Radio Canadaca

Exploring Space from an Indigenous Perspective

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Artistic illustration depicting a long, movable robotic arm in space attached to a space station.  The background shows the moon.Space is seen in very colorful ways by Indigenous communities.PHOTO: Canadian Space Agency/NASAPublished January 29, 2024

Space has always been a source of curiosity for people. However, its exploration, made possible thanks to technological advances of the last century, has given rise to ethical debates. Recently, a private American company's project to send a robot to the lunar surface to leave behind human remains sparked some controversy, particularly within indigenous communities. At the microphone of Melissa Mollen Dupuis, astrophysicist Laurie Rousseau-Nepton describes the relationship of indigenous peoples to space.

The scientist explains, among other things, that the moon has important meaning for several nations, which also mention it in legends and traditional stories. Earth's natural satellite is also a representation of man or woman in different communities. However, this almost mythical vision of space does not prevent its exploration, provided it is carried out wisely.

“Science is curiosity, it is learning more. The moon is part of our creation and scientific history. If we talk about what we know about the formation of the Earth, the Moon is an extremely important object. »

– A quote from Laurie Rousseau-Nepton, astrophysicist and assistant professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto

Duration 10 minutes10 minutes

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