Category Archives: Space Travel

Announcer: And liftoff, the year in space starts now. Kelly, Kornienko and Padalka on their way towards the International Space Station.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Station, this is CNN. How do you hear me?

Scott Kelly: I hear you loud and clear. Welcome aboard the space station.

Dr. Gupta: That was me talking to former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly back in 2016. At that time, he was near the end of his 340 days on the International Space Station -- the longest time an American had been in space.

Many of us have been in relative isolation for weeks now. And there seems to be no clear end in sight. That can take its toll on all of us.

In this episode, I called Scott in his home in Houston. I wanted to ask him how he survived nearly a year in space, stuck in one place and away from his friends and family. Now of course, that was space. But in some way, a lot of us are living a similar reality right now.

I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent. And this is "Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction."

Announcer: And there are the two one-year crew members Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko saying hello to their crewmates and saying hello to their home for the next 12 months in space.

Dr. Gupta: Scott's year in space was historic in more ways than one. Aside from breaking spaceflight records, he also participated in something called the NASA Twins Study, where scientists tracked Scott and his identical twin brother Mark, who's also a fellow astronaut, back on Earth.

They wanted to see how a human body adapted to extreme conditions in space. His twin brother was the perfect control for the study.

It put us one step closer to understanding if and how humans can reach farther planets like Mars.

Dealing with long-term isolation is one of the challenges that comes with space travel.

Right now, many of us are facing a similar challenge here on Earth.

Talk about social distancing: Scott Kelly was over 200 miles from the planet Earth.

So, I decided to ask Scott for some advice, since he is pretty uniquely qualified to talk about isolating for an extended period of time.

Scott Kelly: First of all, you know, having a set schedule if you're lucky enough to be able to work from home, you know, schedule those work times. I would go as far as even scheduling meals. My wife and I have been making a schedule like we were in space because if you keep to that schedule and it has variety, I think what people will find are the days go by much quicker. Other things to put in the schedule: exercise.

NASA has found that astronauts in isolation have suppressed immune systems because of the isolation. And that is the last thing we need in this environment is to have our immune systems be suppressed.

The other thing is pace yourself. For me, I think one of the most important things for me getting to the end of that mission in space was, with as much enthusiasm and energy as I had in the beginning, was the appropriate pace.

Now, I got to ask you, Sanjay, I see you on TV all the time. Are you pacing yourself?

Dr. Gupta: No. It's funny, as you're talking, Scott, I'm mentally making a checklist because this is all so, so important and practical. I hate to admit it. I probably suppressed my immune system from lack of sleep and all those things. But you know what? I will start pacing myself.

Kelly: This is the inside of the crew quarters. In here, we sleep. This is where we get our change of clothes. We do brush our teeth and, you know, shave and those kinds of things.

Dr. Gupta: Now, Scott wasn't completely alone. Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko was always with him, as well as other crewmates who rotated in and out of the space station.

Kelly: Knowing who they're in quarantine with is very important. I mean, you got to almost treat the people you are with, almost like they are your crew.

Dr. Gupta: Now, to be clear, for a lot of people, their crewmates right now is their family, but people many times are going through something they haven't gone through before, spending this kind of extended time with somebody, as much as they may love them. Do you really think that the crewmate analogy sort of helps in this case?

Kelly: I think so, because I think about it myself with my wife. You know, I know that there are things that I'm better at than her at and there are things that she's better at (than) me. And, you know, we complement ourselves very well.

In this type of situation where our performance is so critical, people need to have a different mindset of what their family unit is right now. And it is more, you know, you are a crew together and you have a mission.

Dr. Gupta: Scott also says that having a hobby is important. It helps take our mind off our current living situation.

When he was in space, Scott took up photography. He shot breathtaking photos of Earth from a porthole in the floor of a lab module.

He and his crewmates also listened to a lot of music. He said music had a way of connecting and relaxing him, no matter what his mood was.

The Dixie Chicks echoed through the International Space Station. And Pink Floyd.

Dr. Gupta: You're in a type of isolation now that's different than space. You can go outside, which I imagine is a big plus compared to what it took to go outside when you were on the International Space Station. But how is the isolation different now for you?

Kelly: Oh, it's a lot different. I said, when this -- we were about a week into this -- if I had to spend a year in space or a year in my apartment, the apartment wins every time. Not that space is not an extraordinary experience -- and I would do it again in a second -- but at least in my current situation, it's much more comfortable. It's convenient.

Dr. Gupta: Sure.

Kelly: You know, when all your stuff floats all the time and the life support systems are so hard and complicated to maintain. I mean, the toilet costs $10 million and it breaks all the time.

Dr. Gupta: Obviously, there was a lot of uncertainty in space. But the idea that while most people believe we will get through this period, we just don't know how long the tunnel is right now. I just wondered if you had any insights in how to deal with that.

Kelly: Well, when I launched in March of 2015, I knew I was coming home in about a year.

Dr. Gupta: Right.

Kelly: Not exactly when. But it was so far away that I couldn't even see the end of it from the beginning.

So, I think the mindset people need to be in is that: I am not looking to the end of this because I don't know. And this is my reality. This is how my life is right now. It will be over someday.

You know, I've had a lot of opportunities to be scared in my life. And what I've always found is the way you get past that is you just understand that there are certain things we have control over and certain things we don't, and the things that we don't have control over are the stuff that makes us scared.

So, focus on what you can control: taking care of yourself, your family, your schedule, your environment.

Dr. Gupta: One thing I wanted to ask you about was this idea that, you know, humans really are inherently social creatures. I don't think we realize how much our health, our physical health, sometimes is dependent on physical contact. We don't get to do that as much as things stand now. How much of an impact did that have on you? Was it something you were cognizant of when you were up in space?

Kelly: We had a phone that we could call people. They couldn't call us, which in some ways is an advantage because you're always talking on your own terms.

It's important to stay connected. We've, you know, we've been doing these virtual happy hours with friends, some of which, you know, I'll probably be closer to after this is over as a result of it, because you have the time now and you want to connect with people. And, you know, often in our normal lives, we just, you know, we're so busy. We just don't have the time to, like, reconnect with old friends. And so hopefully that's one of the positive things that will come out of this, is that people have, you know, strengthened their relationships and friendships with people they otherwise would not have done before this pandemic.

Dr. Gupta: Scott, the inevitable question, when you touch down in Kazakhstan, what will be the first things you'll want to do? Your thoughts as you emerge from a year aboard a confined environment.

Kelly: You know, seeing the sky from below and a breeze and sun, the sun on my face, running water, those kind of things. People.

You know, when you look at this Earth from space, it doesn't look all that big. You don't see political borders. It makes you think we are all part of the same team. And now, you know, with this pandemic, you realize, you know, we are all interconnected for better or for worse in this case. And our species is capable of doing amazing things. We can put people on the moon. People living in space for a year. Everything we have done in the last hundred years, we can beat this, absolutely, I am convinced. But it's gonna take an effort on all of our part, working together as a team.

Dr. Gupta: We are all in this together, no question. And Scott, you and I are in this together, and I feel really good about that. I feel like my odds are a lot better with you in the game. Thanks for joining us.

Dr. Gupta: And thank you for listening. This weekend, I hope you will all take time to connect, even remotely, with those you hold dear, as well as be available to those who need a friend right now.

And send voice memos to me about how you're connecting at asksanjay@cnn.com. We'll be back Monday.

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Surviving isolation in space: Dr. Gupta's podcast 4/3 - CNN

In this bi-weekly series reviewing classic science fiction and fantasy books, Alan Brown looks at the front lines and frontiers of the field; books about soldiers and spacers, scientists and engineers, explorers and adventurers. Stories full of what Shakespeare used to refer to as alarums and excursions: battles, chases, clashes, and the stuff of excitement.

My mission in this column is to look at older books, primarily from the last century, and not newly published works. Recently, however, an early and substantially different draft of Robert Heinleins The Number of the Beast was discovered among his papers; it was then reconstructed and has just been published for the first time under the title The Pursuit of the Pankera. So, for a change, while still reviewing a book written in the last century, in this column I get to review a book that just came out. And let me say right from the start, this is a good onein my opinion, its far superior to the version previously published.

The Number of the Beast first appeared in portions serialized in Omni magazine in 1978 under the editorial direction of Ben Bova. Bova had recently finished a stint editing Analog as the first editor to follow in the footsteps of John W. Campbell. Omni published a mix of science, speculation on parapsychology and the paranormal, and fiction; a slick and lavishly illustrated magazine, it unfortunately lasted less than twenty years. The book version of Heinleins novel was published in 1980. My copy is a trade paperback, which was a new format gaining favor at the time, gorgeously illustrated by noted artist Richard M. Powers. While the cover is not his best work, the interior illustrations are beautifully done.

No one knows exactly why Heinlein abandoned the original version of his book, although that version draws heavily on the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and E. E. Doc Smith, and there may have been difficulties in gaining the rights to use those settings.

On my first reading of The Number of the Beast, I was excited by the prospect of reading a new Heinlein work, but also a bit apprehensive, as I had not generally enjoyed his late-career fiction. Where Heinleins earlier published works, especially the juveniles, had been relatively devoid of sexual themes, the later books tended to focus on the sexual rather obsessively, in a way I found, to be perfectly frank, kind of creepy. I remember when I was back in high school, my dad noticed that I had picked up the latest Galaxy magazine, and asked which story I was reading. When I replied that it was the new serialized Heinlein novel, I Will Fear No Evil, he blushed and offered to talk to me about anything in the story that troubled me. Which never happened, because I was as uncomfortable as he was at the prospect of discussing the very sexually oriented story. Heinleins fascination with sexual themes and content continued, culminating with the book Time Enough for Lovewhich was the last straw for me, as a Heinlein reader. In that book, Heinleins favorite character Lazarus Long engages in all sorts of sexual escapades, and eventually travels back in time to have an incestuous relationship with his own mother.

About the Author

Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) is one of Americas most widely known science fiction authors, often referred to as the Dean of Science Fiction. I have often reviewed his work in this column, including Starship Troopers, Have SpacesuitWill Travel, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Citizen of the Galaxy. Since I have a lot to cover in this installment, rather than repeat biographical information on the author here, I will point you back to those reviews.

The Number of the Beast

Zebadiah Zeb John Carter is enjoying a party hosted by his old friend Hilda Sharpie Corners. A beautiful young woman, Dejah Thoris Deety Burroughs, introduces herself to him, and they dance. He is impressed by her, compliments her dancing and her breasts (yep, you read that right), and jokingly proposes marriage. She accepts, and while he is initially taken aback, he decides it is a good idea. Deety had wanted Zeb to meet her father, math professor Jacob Jake Burroughs, who had hoped to discuss math with Zeb, but it turns out that the Burroughs had confused him with a similarly named cousin. The three decide to leave the party, and on a whim, Hilda follows them.

As they head for the Burroughs car, Zeb, a man of action, has a premonition and pushes them all to safety between two vehicles, as the car they were approaching explodes. Zeb then shepherds them to his own vehicle, a high-performance flying car he calls Gay Deceiver, and they take off. Zeb has made all sorts of illegal modifications to the air car, and is quite literally able to drop off the radar. They to head to a location that will issue marriage licenses without waiting periods or blood tests, and Hilda suddenly decides that its time to do something she has considered for years and marry Professor Burroughs. After the wedding, the two pairs of newlyweds head for Jakes vacation home, a secret off-the-grid mansion worthy of a villain from a James Bond movie. (How exactly hes been able to afford this on a college math professors salary is left as an exercise for the reader.) Here Zeb and Hilda discover that not only has the professor been doing multi-dimensional math, but hes developed a device that can travel between dimensions. It turns out the number of possible dimensions they can visit is six to the sixth power, and that sum increased to the sixth power again (when the number of the beast from the Book of Revelation, 666, is mentioned, someone speculates it may have been a mistranslation of the actual number). And soon Gay Deceiver is converted to a continua craft by the installation of the professors device. While I wasnt familiar with Doctor Who when I first read the book, this time around I immediately recognized that Gay Deceiver had become a kind of TARDIS (which had made its first appearance on the series all the way back in 1963).

Heinlein is obviously having fun with this. There are many clear nods to pulp science fiction throughout the novel, starting with the character names (Burroughs, John Carter, Dejah Thoris) and their connection to Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom books. The story is told through the alternating voices of the four main characters, but this literary device is not very successful, as the grammar and tone is unchanged between sections; even with the names of the current viewpoint character printed at the top of the page, it is often difficult to determine whose viewpoint we are reading. The narrative incorporates the pronounced sexual overtones that mark Heinleins later work, and the banter between the four would today be grounds for a hostile work environment complaint in any place of business in the country. They even program Gay Deceiver, who has no choice in the matter, to speak in the same unsavory manner. The women have that peculiar mix of competence and submissiveness so common in Heinleins work. There is also sexual tension between pretty much every character except (mercifully) Deety and her father. They adopt a nudist lifestyle at Jakes place, and Deetys breasts and their attractiveness are mentioned so frequently that I started thinking of them as the fifth and sixth members of the expedition.

Their idyllic stay at Jakes house is interrupted by a visit from a Federal Park Ranger. The menwho happen to be wearing their ceremonial military swords for funget a bad feeling and cut the ranger down, only to discover that he is an alien being disguised as a human, whom they dub a Black Hat. They suspect that he was an emissary of the forces behind the car bomb at Hildas house, and decide they better leave. That departure turns out to be just in time, as Jakes house is promptly destroyed by a nuclear weapon. They flit between alternate dimensions and decide to experiment with space travel, heading toward a Mars in another dimension, which Hilda jokingly dubs Barsoom. They find the planet, which has a breathable atmosphere, inhabited by imperialist Russian and British forces. While Zeb is initially in charge, there is bickering among the intelligent and headstrong crew, and they decide to transfer command between themselves. This produces even more difficulties, and the bulk of the book is a tediously extended and often didactic argument mixed with dominance games, only occasionally interrupted by action. The four discover that the British have enslaved a native raceone that resembles the Black Hat creatures in the way a chimpanzee resembles a human. The crew helps the British stave off a Russian incursion, but decide to head out on their own. The only thing that drives the episodic plot from here on, other than arguments about authority and responsibility, is the fact that Hilda and Deety realize they are both pregnant, and have only a few months to find a new home free of Black Hats and where the inhabitants possess an advanced knowledge of obstetrics. They travel to several locations, many of which remind them of fictional settings, even visiting the Land of Oz. There Glinda modifies Gay Deceiver so she is bigger on the inside, further increasing her resemblance to Doctor Whos TARDIS. They also visit E. E. Doc Smiths Lensman universe, a visit cut short because Hilda has some illegal drugs aboard Gay Deceiver, and fears the legalistic Lensmen will arrest and imprison them.

Then the narrative becomes self-indulgent as it [SPOILERS AHEAD] loops back into the fictional background of Heinleins own stories, and Lazarus Long arrives to completely take over the action, to the point of having a viewpoint chapter of his own. Jake, Hilda, Zeb, and Deety become side characters in their own book. The threat and mystery of the Black Hats is forgotten. Lazarus needs their help, and the use of Gay Deceiver, to remove his mother from the past so she can join his incestuous group marriage, which already includes Lazarus clone sisters. I had enjoyed Lazarus Longs earlier adventures, especially Methuselahs Children, but this soured me on the character once and for all. And you can imagine my disappointment when another subsequent Heinlein novel, The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, after a promising start, was also taken over by Lazarus Long

The Pursuit of the Pankera

The new version of the story opens with essentially the same first third as the previously published version. When the four travelers arrive on Mars, however, they find they are on the actual world of Barsoom.

They encounter two tharks, who both have strong lisps. This is not just intended to be humorous; it makes sense because of the huge tusks Burroughs described in his books. Heinleins delight in revisiting Burroughs Barsoom is palpable. It has been some years since John Carter first arrived, and he and Tars Tarkas are off on the other side of the world, fighting in less civilized parts of the planet. In his absence, Helium is ruled by a kind of triumvirate composed of Dejah Thoris, her daughter Thuvia, and Thuvias husband Carthoris. The Earth has developed space travel, and there are tour groups and private companies like American Express with a presence in Helium. The four protagonists discover that there was a Black Hat incursion of Barsoom at some point, which was defeated. The creatures they call Black Hats, and the Barsoomians call Pankera, are now extinct on Mars. The four find that not only are the human companies exploiting the locals, but the Earth in this dimension is infested with Pankera. They decide to share Jakes invention with the Barsoomians, with hopes that sharing the continuum secret will give Barsoom a fighting chance both in throwing off the economic exploitation of the earthlings, and also in defeating any further Pankera efforts to infiltrate or attack Mars. And then the four adventurers must leave, because Hilda and Deety are pregnant, and Barsoom is not an ideal place to deliver and raise babies (the egg-laying Barsoomians knowing little about live births).

The four then flit between several dimensions, including Oz, in a segment that again mirrors the original manuscript. But when they arrive in the Lensman universe, they stay for a while, have some adventures, and warn the Arisians about the threat of the Pankera. Like the section on Barsoom, Heinlein is obviously having fun playing in Smiths universe and putting his own spin on things. As with John Carter, Heinlein wisely leaves Kimball Kinnison out of the mix, using the setting but not the hero. The four travelers do not want to have their children in the Lensman universe, which is torn by constant warfare with the evil Eddorians, so they head out to find a more bucolic home.

I wont say more to avoid spoiling the new ending. Ill just note that while reading The Pursuit of the Pankera, I kept dreading a re-appearance of the original novels ending, with Lazarus Long showing up and taking over the narrative. Long does appear, but in a little Easter Egg of a cameo that you wouldnt even recognize if you dont remember all his aliases. In contrast with The Number of the Beast, and as is the case with so many of my favorite books, the new ending leaves you wanting more and wondering what happens next.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes when manuscripts are discovered and published after an authors death, it is immediately apparent why they had been put aside in the first place, as they dont measure up to the works that did see the light of day. Sometimes they are like the literary equivalents of Frankensteins monster, with parts stitched together by other hands in a way that doesnt quite fit. In the case of The Pursuit of the Pankera, however, the lost version is far superior to the version originally published. It is clear where Heinlein wanted to go with his narrative, and there is vigor and playfulness in the sections where the protagonists visit Barsoom and the Lensman universe, qualities I found lacking in The Number of the Beast. The sexual themes in the newly discovered sections are mercifully toned down, as is the perpetual bickering over command authority. And the newly published version continues to follow its four protagonists right to the end, instead of being hijacked by another characters adventures.

And now Ill stop talking, because its your turn to join the discussion: What are your thoughts on both the original book, and (if youve read it) on the newly published version? Did the new book succeed in bringing back the spirit of Heinleins earlier works?

Alan Brown has been a science fiction fan for over five decades, especially fiction that deals with science, military matters, exploration and adventure.

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Long-Lost Treasure: The Pursuit of the Pankera vs. The Number of the Beast by Robert A. Heinlein - tor.com

We get it its boring being at home when youre not allowed to go out. Its a completely different feeling from being able to go anywhere and just not going. But you dont have to mentally stagnate. You can visit the world, from your laptop, desktop, or smartphone, thanks to Google. Specifically, Google Street View.

There are numerous places you could go, all around the world. The Great Barrier Reef? Yeah, thats an option. So are the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Canyon, the Tardis (yeah, really), the Blue Mosque in Turkey, or the Madrid Zoo Aquarium. All amazing places, all places you really cant get to at the moment. We could continue listing places you can go from your own smart devices but well just stick with the eight below. The rest of your adventure is up to you.

Antarctica is one of the most isolated places on the planet right now, except for the rest of it. The catch? People volunteer to go to Antarctica. Heck, folks were travelling there even when it was a really, really bad idea to do so. Youd think theres not a whole lot to see in an Antarctic Street View presentation. Youd be wrong. Part of the exploration is Robert Falcon Scotts cabin on Ross Island, Ernest Shackletons hut, and the actual South Pole (seen above). This outing is handy to help you remember that while isolation might be tough, you can still drive to the shops at least.

From one isolated place to the means to get to another. Kennedy Space Center is the home of NASA and the space shuttle, the most iconic space vehicle of the last century. History was made and continues to be made in this place and you can go on a tour without leaving home. Check out the space shuttle launch pad, the famous control room, the Vehicle Assembly Building and if youre keen on poking around enough Google Street View also has tours of space shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour. Its a little weird to think that the future of space travel is now in the hands of the private sector but this is how it really got rolling.

Googles out-of-reach Street View tours tend to be similar in that not many folks have been there. Case in point, Everest. Specifically, the Everest base camp because summiting the worlds highest mountain is tough enough with all the corpses left up there (and future archaeologists are going to have a field day with that). Doing it with Googles Street View camera tech strapped to your back is an absolutely terrible idea. Still, you get to see the base camp, as well as many of the sights along the way. Its not all mountain climbers and shades of neon, theres a fair bit of sight-seeing to er see, too.

South Africans have some of the most beautiful locations in the world at their fingertips, so to speak. So, of course, a lot of us have never been to any of them. The Kruger National Park is one location that everyone should see but thats not possible right now. You can take a virtual tour of one of SAs best parks right from your couch, though the thrill of driving through the park and not knowing what it is youll see is a little lost. But since youve been putting this off anyway, you might as well check out the static Kruger while the actual animals take back the land.

This ones a little depressing. In 2011 a tsunami hit the prefecture of Fukushima in Japan. Which would have been a human tragedy no matter what but Fukushima is also the site of a nuclear reactor which melted down as the result of the earthquake+tsunami combo giving us a trifecta of human misery. So, of course, Google went there and took photographs. You can explore some of the outlying regions of the disaster, including one of the deserted towns, but dont expect to get a good look at the reactor. Not until Google gets really good robots to do its photography, at any rate.

Youve been here before. It looks a little different when the special effects are turned off but this is Harry Potters Diagon Alley. Its a real place, by which we mean it is a real move set that hasnt been taken down. Youll perhaps never walk there in person but thats not the point of this little exercise. Youre on a mental journey right now and those always come with a magic of their own. Unfortunately you wont get to explore the interiors of the various shopfronts but youre wandering around the wizarding worlds finest shopping area. Isnt that enough for you?

Youre probably at least vaguely familiar with the Colosseum, the famous Roman location dedicated to two things: blood and sand. And entertainment. Okay, three things. Its seen better days and the presence of tourists looking at this remnant of a mighty empires decline havent improved matters. Only, the Colosseum is closed at the moment. The only way to visit, aside from having a home that overlooks the site, is on the internet. And Googles mapped the place out, because of course it has.

There are a few ways to get to CERN. One is to be a super-smart physicist, intent on changing the world with your groundbreaking work figuring out the building blocks of the universe. You can also access the location while following a Dan Brown-created character around in search of the Illuminati, or by taking a physical tour, we guess. Except you cant, right now. Never mind, you can check out the location of the worlds largest machine (which is what the Large Hadron Collider is) from your house.

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Bored at home? Explore these exotic locations using nothing but Google Street View - Stuff Magazines

Bethesda's upcomingIP, theStarfieldscience-fiction RPG,is set to brave the same interstellar frontier as titles like Mass Effect, The Outer Worlds, and No Man's Sky.To carve out its own niche as an epic space opera, the developers of Starfield will need to learn from the triumphs and shortcomings of thesesimilar "space opera" RPGs while creating their own combat, exploration, and space travel mechanics.

Most ofthe publicly availableinformation on Starfield comes from developer interviews and some early cinematic trailers. Bethesda Director Todd Howard has gone on record saying thatthey want tocreate a world where space travel is realistic and perilous (albeit simplified for ease of gameplay). The footage from the most recentStarfield trailers supports this claim in some respects,showcasing brief snapshots of rovers, landing shuttles, and strange, drifting satellites.

Related: Top 10 Female Protagonists in Science Fiction Movies

At the same time,there are gameplay imageswhich depictanti-gravity starships, space distortions, and mysterious alien-looking fleets, which impliesa more fantasticalelement toStarfield's storywhere realistic space flight like that seen in The Martian gives way to advanced technology like that seen in Star Trek. To equal and surpass similar science fictionRPGs,the world-building of Starfieldwill need tostrike a balance between real-life physics andimpossible technology that works by consistent rules.Most importantly...

Space, per the iconic slogan of Star Trek, is the "Final Frontier," a sea of starstheoretically filled with limitlessnumbers of life forms,worlds, and civilizations. No current simulation can replicate the size and detail of our universe, but Starfield's gameplayneeds to convey thissense of an endless frontier in order to stir the hearts of space opera fans. Developers could draw from theexploration gameNo Man's Sky, which used procedural generation to create unique worlds and eco-systems that players could fly to. Alternately, they could take a page from the Mass Effect playbook, using fictional culture, commerce, and history to bring an interconnected space civilization to life.

Without life, consciousness, or feeling,our universe is just a bunch of dust and pretty lights. For that same reason,Starfieldwill need interesting, vibrant characters to fillits single-play campaignand bring it to life.Besides previous Bethesda games like The Elder Scrollsand Fallout 4, games like the Mass Effect franchise and The Outer Worlds offer great examples of vibrant supporting characters, "party members" that players can banter with, support,and cultivate. If the player character in Starfield winds up being a blank slate like in previous Bethesda titles, it's doubly important that the supporting characters have their own stories to tell and quests tocomplete.

Many players felt cheated by theclimax of Mass Effect 3, which presented players with the same three endingoptions regardless ofwhat choices they made earlier in the game. Similarly, the initial release of No Man's Sky drew criticism for having minimal plot and the lack of any payoff when players finally reached the center of the galaxy. There's two morals the developers of Starfield can draw from these stories: first, don't promiseanything which can't be delivered. Second, a science fictionRPG set in a vast universe should haveseveral interesting endgame scenarios,conclusions that reward the player for making choices and committing to certain paths.After all, what's the point of a game set in the vastness of outer space if the player is alwaysconfined to a single fixed path?

In the wake of the controversysurroundingFallout 76, which released with numerous glitches and unpopular transactions, it's all the more important that Bethesda Softworks takes the time and puts in the effort needed tomake the StarfieldRPG an exciting experience for players, a saga of mystery, wonder, and perilous travel among the stars. The current dearth of news and information about Starfield maythus be a good thing, a sign that Bethesda is keeping their cards close to their chest until the core concept of Starfield is properly refined.

Next: Bethesda Cancels Plans For Digital Showcase In June

Source: PC Gamer

Doctor Who: Every Doctor's TRUE Companion

A Chicago-based Writer, Author and freelance translator. Looking to prep his readers for the next renaissance or apocalypse, whichever comes first.Write and publishes web fiction under the pseudonym Aldo Salt on Inkshares.com.

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What Bethesdas Starfield RPG Could Learn From Other Sci-Fi Games - Screen Rant

For eleven years, comic book fans and neophytes alike watched as The Marvel Cinematic Universe rocketed towards a conflict that would rock the entire universe. Ever since Jim Starlin's creation Thanos made a cameo in the mid-credits scene in The Avengers,The MCU suddenly felt like it was building towards something epic.

RELATED:10 Avengers Endgame Details You Most Probably Missed In Theaters

The arc culminated in both Infinity War and Endgame which were based on the 1991 event The Infinity Gauntlet. While the two films are pretty faithful in terms of hitting the major beats, there are a lot of things from the comics that were left out. MAJOR SPOILERS!!

In The Infinity Saga, Thanos is only backed up by The Black Order, and they don't really question his authority by any means. The films don't linger on The Black Order too much, as the main focus is on Thanos himself. In the comics, however, that was not the case.

In The Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos has a wingman in the form of Mephisto. In Marvel Comics, Mephisto is basically Satan, though it isn't outright stated that he is. Naturally, he stabs Thanos in the back, Mephisto gotta do Mephisto. Mephisto hasn't shown up in The MCU yet, so he obviously couldn't appear in the film.

One of the more underrated wins from the infamous Fox-Disney deal from not too long ago was that The MCU can now use The Silver Surfer. Galactus' most famous herald has a huge following, so his involvement in The Infinity Gauntlet makes sense. The Surfer crashes through The Sanctum Sanctorum and warns Doctor Strange and Wong that Thanos is coming. It's a chilling scene and sets up the oncoming death very well.

However, if you saw Infinity War,this might be news to you. In the movie, Bruce Banner is the one who crashes into The Sanctum Sanctorum. The Fox-Disney deal was still up in the air, so The Surfer couldn't make his debut in the film, so The Russo Brothers decided to make an equally impactful statement.

For those who aren't familiar with him, Adam Warlock is a big player in Marvel's cosmic scene and has even been a member of The Guardians Of The Galaxy. Another thing that you'll find in his impressive CV is that he once wielded The Infinity Gauntlet. In The Infinity Gauntlet, Warlock leads the charge against Thanos, gets his hand on The Gauntlet, and ends the conflict.

RELATED:10 Characters With The Most Screen Time In The Avengers

James Gunn had only set Adam Warlock up in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, so Iron Man took up his role in the film, and that meant that a moment of triumph would be turned into a moment of tragedy.

Even though everyone who died in Infinity War came back when the snap was reversed, many people still can't get over the initial massacre. Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Falcon, Wasp, Groot, Mantis, all gone, and Thanos' threat was fully established.

In the comics, the casualty list didn't feel nearly as severe. Most of the A-List characters were spared from being dusted and while there were several high profile deaths (I.E. Daredevil, Black Panther, The Fantastic Four,) the majority of the characters lost were B-tier at best (Night Thrasher, anyone?)

A good deal of the conflict in The Infinity Saga takes place on the planet we all know and somewhat tolerate. While there is a good deal of space travel in The Saga, most of what goes on in the films happen on Earth. With that said, the filmmakers did a great job to make sure the Earth-bound conflict didn't feel small fry.

In The Infinity Gauntlet, the majority of the story takes place in space, with the epic cosmic beings created by Marvel's architects getting involved in the cosmic opera.

In Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos responds to Mistress Death's rejection of his act of love by creating a mate for himself in Terraxia. A beautiful, female version of The Mad Titan himself who Thanos claims he truly loves. However, this is a hollow gesture, as Thanos' heart truly belongs to Death.

RELATED:10 Ways Avengers: Endgame Could Have Been Different According To Concept Art

Terraxia doesn't make an appearance in The Infinity Saga, which may have something to do with Thanos' change in motivation. To be fair, that may have been a solid move, as there wasn't really much to her, and Thanos' arc doesn't really need her.

In one of Captain America's most awesome moments, the comics see Cap walks right up to Thanos after The Mad Titan has laid waste to Cap's friends. Without an ounce of fear, Captain America tells Thanos that as long as one man stands against him, he will never be able to gain victory.

A similar moment takes place in Endgame. During the final battle with Thanos, all hope seems lost until Cap throws Mjolnir at the man who wiped out half of the universe, before calling it back to him. It shows that not only is Captain America worthy to hold the hammer of Thor, but he is someone you wouldn't want to tick off.

The final battle with Thanos and his forces in Endgame will be a moment that is talked about for decades to come. Every hero in The MCU (well, almost everyone) gathering together to fight Thanos and keep the new gauntlet from The Mad Titans was the biggest battle in superhero cinema and will be a hard act to top.

In the comics, the fight is far more one-sided. Thanos kills the resistance in truly disturbing ways, however, it is Thanos' own desire for power that leads to his downfall. The Mad Titan becoming the new version of Eternity, giving Nebula enough time to seize The Gauntlet, and reverse her father's actions. However, due to her mental fragility, Nebula goes a bit too far, and Adam Warlock has to step in to stop her.

In The Infinity Saga, Thanos is 100% convinced that only by wiping out half of the universe will it truly be at peace. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. It's a motivation that has fans debating as to whether Thanos is in the right or is simply a nihilistic sociopath.

RELATED:Avengers: 5 People Thor Would Have Been Great With (& 5 He Would Have Been Awful With)

Thanos' motives in the comics are a bit more abstract, to say the least. In The Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos is motivated by his great love for the embodiment of death known simply as Mistress Death. After gathering the Infinity Gems, The Mad Titan snuffs out half the universe as a declaration of his love.

When Tony Stark uses the gauntlet to wipe out Thanos' armada in Endgame, The Mad Titan is wiped out along with them. It's a somewhat fitting end to his character, with the thing he had been obsessed with being the instrument of his downfall.

However, in an irony worthy of the drama, the comics had Thanos faking his death only for Adam Warlock to find him living a humble life as a farmer on a mysterious planet. Thanos then notes his lack of envy towards Warlock, as he feels he has gotten the better end of the bargain.

NEXT:MCU: 10 Ways Phase 4 Could Be Setting Up Avengers 5

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Ever since he was a young lad, Seth Rector has had a love for all things that reek of geek. Movies, tv shows, comic books, and video games are what he considers his wheelhouse. A writer at heart, Seth says he's over the moon now that he can write about what he loves. When he isn't writing for Screen Rant, he is putting his film degree from Lights Film School to good use by working on future film projects.

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Thanos has come and gone in The MCU, but what did he do differently from the comics? - Screen Rant

Space anemiaposes a significant risk to deconditioning, and should be considered as spacetourism becomes more popular and available, according to a paper published inthe American Journal of Hematology.1

Space travelrelated anemia has been a concern for the past 60 years, though conflicting data have prevented researchers from determining, with certainty, that being in space can directly lead to the condition. Researchers determined that evaluating hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations and red blood cell (RBC) mass within 7 days of returning to Earth from space would, however, be sufficient for determining any link.

For this study,the authors evaluated data recorded in the National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministrations Lyndon B. Johnson Space Centers system, which containsrecords for all astronauts since the programs inception, to determine anycausal relationship between space travel and changes in Hb concentrations.

Two datasetswere included, the first of which contained records from 711 mission-astronautswith 1962 Hb measurements and 721 mission-astronauts with 17,336 Hbmeasurements. All data were compared with those from control records taken atthe time of each mission.

Forty-eightpercent of astronauts were anemic when they returned to Earth after spacetravel. Longer trips to space also appeared to require more recovery time afterthe journey than did shorter trips, with Hb levels returning to normal after 49days for trips of 11.5 to 145 days vs 24 days for trips of a mean of 5.4 days.

Astronauts whosetrips lasted 5.4 days, 11.5 days, and 145 days had Hb decrements of -0.61 g/dL(4%), -0.82 g/dL (5%), and -1.66 g/dL (11%), respectively.

Wecharacterized space anemia, its dose-response relationship with exposure to spaceas well as longitudinal effects, the authors wrote. Whether acute spaceanemia will turn into chronic anemia depends critically on the duration ofexposure to space.

Reference

Trudel G, Shafer J, Laneuville O, Ramsay T. Characterizing the effect of exposure to microgravity on anemia: more space is worse. Am J Hematol. 2020;95(3):267-273.

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Anemia in Space: Implications for Space Travel and Tourism - Hematology Advisor

ELY A local astronomers group is celebrating the major yet unheralded roles played by Iowas three state universities in the history of astronomy and space travel in connection with the Apollo 13 50-year anniversary.

During the Apollo 13 mission, which was April 11 to 17, 1970, an explosion on board the spacecraft left the fate of three astronauts unknown for seven days as people around the world feared they may never make it back to earth.

Historian David V. Wendell, curator of an exhibit called Our Finest Hours: Apollo XIII and Iowas Universities in Space Exploration, had planned an event with panel discussion on the date of the launch April 11 at the astronomical research complex operated by the Cedar Amateur Astronomers, 1365 Ivanhoe Road, in rural Ely. The COVID-19 crisis has put the event in doubt, as some of his planned speakers backed out.

Wendell still hoped to pay tribute to Iowas space travel efforts in conjunction with the anniversary.

Perhaps the virus, therefore, gives us a deeper insight into the psyche of what it was like to be on that fateful flight not knowing if one would survive or not, Wendell said. Just as today, on Earth, we wonder in the back of our mind if we will make it safely through a daunting ordeal, they, too, faced this dilemma of uncertainty, but came through successfully.

Wendell highlighted the contributions of three scholars:

Gurnett, professor emeritus of astronomy at the University of Iowa, was a protege of James Van Allen, the UI professor who designed and built the experimental equipment aboard Explorer 1, Americas first man-made satellite to circle the Earth. Gurnett went on to assist and engineer experiments on board Injun 1, Americas first satellite designed by a college, and to create the instruments aboard the Voyager Spacecraft, the first man-made object to fly out of the solar system and into interstellar space.

The event also was to celebrate Gurnetts 80th birthday on April 11.

Willson, professor emeritus of astronomy at Iowa State University, has been one of the nations leading experts in variable star research in this century and the latter half of the last. Variable stars are those that vary in intensity. She has used the worlds most advanced telescopes, including Hubble, to identify planets in orbit around stars far distant from our solar system.

Morgan, chairwoman of the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Northern Iowa, is recognized as one of the states leading authorities on stellar pulsation in an effort to understand how stars evolve and its implication for the future of our planet, as well as others like it in the universe.

Comments: (319) 398-8310; brian.morelli@thegazette.com

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Astronomers group celebrates Iowa's 'unheralded' contributions to space travel for Apollo 13 50-year anniversary - The Gazette

Will Whitehorn argued there are massive commercial opportunities to Britain becoming a real spacefaring nation. The UK Space Agency, a Government body, wants Britain to hold 10 percent of the global space economy by 2030.

Funding has already been provided to establish Spaceport Cornwall, which plans to launch satellites into space via Richard Bransons Virgin Orbit, with proposals from two Scottish sites also being considered.

According to Mr Whitehorn Virgin Galactic, which plans to take humans into space, could also operate from the site.

Speaking to Express.co.uk he said: We should be taking people into space from Britain. I dont see why Spaceport Cornwall cant, as well as carrying satellites with Virgin Orbit, host Virgin Galactic.

Its going to be commercial by the end of this year or early next year. I have a ticket for a flight, well maybe my ticket could be from Cornwall. Im thinking within two years.

I think we need to move quite quickly on this kind of stuff. We need to get everything up and running as fast as we can.

We can do launch here. It was difficult to do launch with old style rocketry. But for instance Virgin Orbit, which has the 747 with the air launched satellite launching vehicle, that can come to Cornwall and launch satellites anywhere out over the Atlantic very safely and we build the right sort of satellites for that.

Not only that in Scotland there are a couple of sites which are almost fighting to see whos going to be the one to be basically the vertical launch site.

We could have real launch capability and that matters for reasons of commerciality, the industrialisation of space and also for national security.

Mr Whitehorn was formerly president of Virgin Galactic and is chair of Clyde Space, a UK based commercial space company.

READ MORE:NASA astronaut about to escape coronavirus for ISS: 'Good luck'

The Government is currently working on the UKs Defence Space Strategy, the release of which has been repeatedly postponed.

According to Mr Whitehorn the UK space industry is significantly bigger than much of the public realises.

He claimed: We need to industrialise space and Britain is in a position to be part of that story in a major way. We are, without any doubt now, one of the countries with the most developed industries to build satellites.

Were building something like 35-40% of the worlds commercial satellites here in the UK.

Our universities with their commercial arms build most of the best instruments used on the missions people get excited about going to Mars or going to the Moon. Now you add to that the expertise Britain has been building up in artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.

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Last year the UK announced it would increase its funding of the European Space Agency, a coalition of 22 nations, by over 15 percent.

In a blog published in June 2019, shortly before he took up a position advising Boris Johnson in Downing Street, Dominic Cummings suggested Britain could work with Amazon boss Jeff Bezos to establish a manned base on the Moon.

Asked about the Governments target for Britain to hold 10 percent of the global space market by 2030 Mr Whitehorn was optimistic.

He stated: I think it is ambitious but its achievable.

It wouldnt have been achievable in a world where we could only produce the hardware but we in this country are now capable of doing things like the robotics.

I believe we will have server farms in space that displace the ones you now see on the ground and they will be built in space by robots where the artificial intelligence and the thinking behind how they work comes from this country.

I also believe we are going to be able to launch a lot of these smaller type satellites from the UK. We couldnt do that in the past.

Then we can create a viable space economy which can also help maintain Britains national security because if youre not in space youre not going to have any security in the future.

Mr Whitehorn noted renewed space travel could have a radical impact on human society within a few decades.

He explained: I can imagine in 20 or 30 years time a small group of scientists going from Oxford University in their hover flivver down to Cornwall and getting onboard a Virgin Galactic spaceship with their new experimental molecule that they think can cure viruses, but they need five minutes of weightlessness to combine it.

Then they get back onboard and theyre back at Oxford that night and have done it. Thats the kind of world we want to create.

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Manned spaceflight from Britain could begin in just two years claims UKSpace chief - Express.co.uk

Inan effort to mitigate damage from COVID-19 here on Earth, people worldwide are practicing social distancing, attempting to limit the spread of the disease. However, space is extremely tight on space stations, and the first lunar and Martian colonies are also likely to house occupants in close quarters. Disease in space has been affecting astronauts for decades. So, how will we respond to epidemics in space when they inevitably occur.

Since the dawn of the human exploration of space, illnesses and medical emergencies have stricken space travelers. The first missions to space took just a single occupant beyond the bounds of Earth. The number of people traveling on each mission went up to two, then three. Now, four to seven crew members typically take part in each flight, and the International Space Station (ISS) is usually home to six occupants. Lunar and Martian colonies would house hundreds to thousands of people.

Living in space also changes the way bodies react, and alter health under the best circumstances. For this reason, NASA and other space agencies study the effects of space on the human body. Not only will these studies helpprotect those living in space, but lessons learned from these studies could help protect populations here on Earth.

Factors like radiation, microgravity, stress, and altered sleep cycles could all affect astronaut immune systems Understanding these immune system changes may help scientists pinpoint the onset of illness, and suggest monitoring strategies, or treatments, that can boost the immune system and prevent full-blown infections and diseases here on Earth,NASA officials report.

The human immune system reacts differently in the microgravity environment of space than it does here on Earth, studies find. The immune system is disrupted, altering the way bodies react to infections.

The immune system is very complex, and several aspects of immunity remain uninvestigated during spaceflight. We now need to delve deeper into the immune system changes that happen in space, and also determine if immune changes during flight elevate clinical risks for astronauts in future deep-space missions. All the factors that change immunity on the ISS will be worse on longer missions to an asteroid or to Mars, Dr. Brian Crucian of NASAs Johnson Space Center (JSC) states.

During the Apollo 7 flight in 1968 (the first Apollo mission to carry astronauts), the crew all came down with colds, altering mission plans. NASA officials believe commander Wally Schirra likely had a mild cold when boarding the spacecraft, before spreading the illness to his crew mates. Due to their illnesses, the crew refused to wear helmets during reentry into the Earths atmosphere.

Surprisingly, the crews of the next twoApollo missionsalso developed colds during their flights. Following these experiences, NASA developed quarantine procedures, limiting human exposure to astronauts prior to their flights.

Since the early days of space travel, advances in communication have made it possible to treat a wider variety of ailments in space, using knowledge and resources on Earth.

NASA was even once able to treat anastronautwho developed a blood clot while visiting the ISS. At the time, the space traveler (whose name is protected for privacy concerns) was two months into a six-month mission when the deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was discovered during a routine test on how space affects the flow of body fluids.

Dr. Stephan Moll, a blood clot expert at the UNC School of Medicine, was called in to help treat the astronaut by teleconferencing.

My first reaction when NASA reached out to me was to ask if I could visit the International Space Station (ISS) to examine the patient myself. NASA told me they couldnt get me up to space quickly enough, so I proceeded with the evaluation and treatment process from here in Chapel Hill,Moll recalls. The NASA video below shows how Dr. Stephan Moll treated a blood clot on the international space station while remaining firmly on terra firma.

Treatment for this condition often involves putting the patient on blood thinners, slowing the growth of the clot, potentially reducing damage caused if the clot breaks free, and travels to another part of the body. However, the ISS is only equipped with a limited supply of medicines, but some Enoxaparin was available, which the astronaut used for 40 days until a supply ship delivered another drug, Apixaban, to the space station crew.

During the course of treatment lasting more than 90 days, the spaceborne patient took regular ultrasounds of their neck, following guidance from a radiology team on Earth. Following a safe landing on Earth, no additional treatments were required for the once-ailing astronaut.

Influenza and microbes like coronavirus could quickly work their way through a crew isolated together in the depths of space.

The absence of gravity precludes particles settling down, so they stay suspended in the air, and could be more easily transmitted. To prevent this, compartments are ventilated and the air HEPA filters would remove particles,Jonathan Clark, a former six-time crew surgeon for NASAs Space Shuttle program, stated.

A 2012 study examining health records of 742 astronauts who flew on 106 flights revealed 29 cases of disease transmission, including fungal, urinary tract, and skin infections, as well as the flu.

For reasons scientists have not quite figured out, the immune system can go on the fritz in space: wounds heal more slowly; infection-fighting T-cells send signals less efficiently; bone marrow replenishes itself less effectively; killer cells another key immune system player fight less energetically. At the same time, the pathogens grow stronger, developing thicker cell walls, greater resistance to antimicrobial agents and a greater ability to form so-called biofilms that cling to surfaces, Jeffrey Kluger reported inTime Magazine.

Physical changes caused by radiation may present problems keeping astronauts and space colonists healthy. Another challenge for space travelers is that dormant viruses, like herpes simplex, can reawaken during space travel.

Visitors have spent a year or more aboard the International Space Station. Colonists on the Moon orMarswould stay even longer, increasing health issues including sleep deprivation, even without an epidemic. Without proper sleep, and suffering from high stress levels, space travelers could be even more susceptible to infections their bodies may have fought off at home.

The types of problems you may encounter are a decline in mood, cognition, morale, or interpersonal interaction. You could also develop a sleep disorder because your circadian rhythm might be thrown off due to the 38 extra minutes each day on Mars, or by a small, noisy environment, or the stress of prolonged isolation and confinement, NASAsHuman Research Programsuggests. The video below shows alook at how the human immune reacts to the strange conditions of space.

Astronauts aboard the ISS are regularly tested to ensure once-dormant viruses are not re-activating. Bacteria taken from body swabs of astronauts are regularly examined, revealing populations of bacteria and viruses onboard the space station. Air circulating though the orbiting outpost is safe from both biological and chemical contaminants.

Just as on Earth, isolation and containment of those potentially infected by a disease. The International Space Station is equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, and containment masks are available for infected residents of the ISS. Following any sort of infection, space travelers could be quarantined after returning to Earth, as they were in the early days of human space travel.

Future colonies on the Moon orMarswill, almost certainly, have similar facilities for lessening the reach of outbreaks like the one currently engulfing our planet.

Answers to the challenges of epidemics on Earth much less onlunar or Martian colonies remains unanswered. And, viruses are more likely to spread, and be harder to treat, in space than they are on Earth.

But, many of the same treatments and procedures that we employ on Earth to limit the spread of disease and to flatten the curve of infections would also likely play significant roles in protecting colonists exploring theSolar System.

As we expandout into the solar system, epidemics are bound to follow us. But, even today, we are already protecting the explorers who are pioneering our quest to reach beyond the confines of our planet.

This article was originally published onThe Cosmic Companionby James Maynard, an astronomy journalist, fan of coffee, sci-fi, movies, and creativity. Maynard has been writing about space since he was 10, but hes still not Carl Sagan. The Cosmic Companionsmailing list/podcast. You can read this original piecehere.

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What will we do when diseases reach space? - The Next Web

During the global pandemic, cities around the world are recognizing it makes sense to take road space that is usually used for moving and storing cars and instead give it to people. Theyre reallocating the right-of-way from travel lanes and parking to create emergency bikeways for essential workers, and open space where residents can safely walk, bike, and exercise, with sufficient room for social distancing.

Dr. Tabitha Combs, a transportation researcher at the University of North Carolina, and Mike Lydon, founder of transportation design firm Street Plans, have started a crowdsourced database of what cities are doing to create safer, people-friendly streets during the shelter at home era.

View Coms and Lydons database here.

So far, Chicago has taken the opposite approach. Last week Mayor Lori Lightfoot closed the citys most important routes for car-free transportation and recreation, the Lakefront Trail and The 606 elevated greenway. It was an understandable emergency response to dangerously crowded conditions on the paths and the failure of some residents to practice social distancing. But hopefully a compromise can be reached to allow residents to use these facilities for essential trips. In the meantime, Streetsblogs Low-Stress Lakefront Pandemic Cycling Route offers an on-street alternative to the shoreline path.

Meanwhile Mexico City, Bogot, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis have prohibited cars on certain streets. Berlin has created new temporary bike lanes.

Privately-owned bike-share companies in Mexico City and Bogot are offering free rides to healthcare workers during the pandemic. (These companies supplement the cities publicly-owned bike-share systems). Divvy, Chicagos publicly-owned bike-share network, is also offering free rides to healthcare workers, plus $1 rides and $49 annual memberships to everyone else.

The database also notes that five cities have removed beg buttons from intersections, which pedestrians are normally required to press to request a walk signal. This can result in people crowding on sidewalks waiting for a walk signal, which creates a risk of viral transmission. Thankfully, beg buttons arent common in Chicago. The Chicago Pedestrian Plan of 2012 (see page 40) called for removing nearly all of them, but some still remain.

Back to the Lakefront Trail issue. Although Chicagos non-essential workplaces have been closed during the pandemic, there are still Chicagoans who need to commute for essential jobs and errands. But because there are so few people driving at this time, the streets are relatively empty, which encourages dangerous speeding.

Reopening the Lakefront Trail for essential commutes would help keep workers safe from traffic crashes. And opening some streets in various parts of the city for car-free transportation and recreation is a very practical idea. Our city hosts hundreds of street festivals, races, and other special events that involve temporarily pedestrianizing streets, so this isnt rocket science.

Shortly before I wrote this post, I biked to the grocery store. The other shoppers were careful to give me the prescribed 6 of space at the store. But on my way home, not a single driver provided me with the three feet of clearance thats required by Illinois law.

If you hear of a city doing something innovative with their streets to improve safety during the pandemic, add it to the shared spreadsheet or email me. Hat tip Daniel Ronan.

Here are some tips on preventing the spread of coronavirus, and advice for Chicagoans on what to do if you think you may have been exposed to the virus.

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Database documents cities that are repurposing car space during the pandemic - Streetsblog Chicago