We're not really talking about a funny part. The soil is poisonous. Unbreathable air. And I'm not telling you about cosmic rays, otherwise you'll think I'm totally anti-Martian.
Sooner or later the wanderer on Mars will want to send a little hello to an earthly acquaintance. So he'd better be patient. The simplest message takes an average of 22 minutes to travel the distance between Mars and Earth. The same applies to the answer.
Do the math. So when you call for help, it takes at least 44 minutes for a NASA official, probably half asleep, to respond: “What can I do to help you?”
Last summer, NASA reportedly compiled a list of 800 problems that need to be solved before considering sending astronauts to Mars, possibly in the late 2030s.
And remember that the list does not include even the most sensitive problem. Perhaps the main question. How will people deal with the psychological difficulties that accompany the journey?
To find out, NASA is looking for four volunteers to simulate life on Mars. The third of its kind. The lucky ones will have the privilege of being imprisoned in a replica of a Martian habitat for an entire year…
I promise the conditions will be realistic. Not the equivalent of the film Alone on Mars with actor Matt Damon, but almost. NASA promises that fake astronauts will endure various “frustrations and hardships.” It also promises to cause them a lot of technical problems.
Finally, I saved the best for last. In their free time, participants are entitled to trips to a hermetically sealed cabin to make bricks and grow a few measly lettuces.
Admit you're dying for this…
Source: The New York Times
Quick question
What unusual activity did the chief physician of the medical team monitoring King Charles' health ever recommend?
has) Count all the grains of rice contained in a 500 ml can of “Chicken Rice Soup” to practice patience;
B) Skydiving at least three times to cure vertigo;
vs) Play the bagpipes to combat certain lung problems;
D) Watch a handful of Mexican oat beans to increase your ability to concentrate.
e) Practice line dancing with at least 40 people to improve your coordination.
Answer: c)Source: The Guardian
The comparison
— Loudness of the bang! Ejected by Danionella Cerebrum, one of the smallest fish in the world, to intimidate a predator: 140 decibels;
— Noise level of a jackhammer: 120 decibels.
Source: The Guardian
The number
24
That's how many times Commander, Joe Biden's German Shepherd, has bitten Secret Service agents responsible for security in the White House. The wild dog was eventually removed from the scene. After one of the incidents, tours of the White House had to be stopped to clean up blood stains on the floor.
Source: The Washington Post
The comparison
— Percentage of American boys who believe they are their mother's favorite child: 41%;
— Percentage of American girls who believe they are their mother's favorite child: 22%.
Source: YouGov, quoted by Harper's
Falling
– 6%
Decrease in the amount left by the Tooth Fairy for toothless children last year. It seems that inflation also affects the tooth fairy, although on average she leaves $5.84 for the first tooth.
Source: Delta Rentals
Right or wrong?
A quarter of the 705 members of the European Parliament are the target of more or less serious investigations by the judiciary in their country or another country in the European Union.
Answer: TrueSource: Le Monde
The forecast
Between 60 and 80%
Probability that the day of April 8, 2024 will be cloudy in southern Quebec during the total solar eclipse. The percentage is the average over the last 20 years.
Source: meteomedia.ca
The duration
212 years old
Time when Sweden was a neutral country. In 1812, the country joined Napoleon I's grand army to invade Russia. A disastrous decision that had cost him part of his territory. After that, the country always maintained strict neutrality. A “status” that ended with the country’s recent entry into NATO.
Source: The Conversation
The sale
$3.7 million
The price was achieved during an auction for 16 boxes, each containing 48 packs, of never-unopened hockey cards from 1979. The set contains between 25 and 30 cards of Wayne Gretzky when he was a rookie. A sort of Holy Grail for collectors, valued at more than $1 million each. Who knows, because we may never know the contents for sure. Given the value that unopened packages reach, it is not certain that the buyer dares to touch them!
Source: The New York Times
The proportion
82 out of 163
Number of ski resorts in the Pyrenees and French Alps seriously threatened by warming and lack of snow by 2050.
Source: Le Monde
To respond to this column, write to us [email protected]. Some answers may be published in our Opinions section.