Sometimes I hear people say Great Britain and other times they say United Kingdom. Are they the same? In Tokyo Olympics 2021, they call them Great Britain
According to labmate: To date, the longest continuous amount of time a human has spent in space is 437 days. This feat was lived out by Russian astronaut Valeri Polyakov. When it comes to total number of days spent in space, fellow Russian Sergei Krikalev takes the cake, with over 803 days in space,Read more
According to labmate:
To date, the longest continuous amount of time a human has spent in space is 437 days. This feat was lived out by Russian astronaut Valeri Polyakov. When it comes to total number of days spent in space, fellow Russian Sergei Krikalev takes the cake, with over 803 days in space, spread out over six flights.
The physical effects of space
So what makes it so difficult to survive in space? For starters, the human body has evolved to function under gravitational conditions. This means that space is a harsh condition for humans. As muscles constantly work against gravity on planet Earth, they start to deteriorate in space. This includes the heart, which shrinks.
As bones are no longer needed to support the body’s weight they neglect the need to maintain themselves. While bone tissue is still absorbed it’s not rebuilt, which can cause fractures and kidney stones. Research has also shown that extended periods in space can dysregulate the immune system, and leave astronauts vulnerable to pathogens, hypersensitivity and unwanted autoimmune responses.
The risk of radiation
Radiation is another serious threat, with astronauts continuously exposed to multiple forms of energy, including solar radiation, galactic cosmic radiation, geomagnetically bound radiation and solar cosmic particles. Overexposure can trigger serious cell mutation, leading to cancer, epigenetic effects and even death. Radiation can also impair bodily functions, causing bone marrow to deteriorate, the immune system to weaken and cataracts to develop in the eyes. Even with next generation shielding materials to protect them, astronauts are still at risk of secondary radiation from gamma rays and energetic neutrons.
While radiation can be a serious health problem, light also plays a major role in modern science. ‘Light Source Characterisation in Life Sciences’ explores photonics in further detail, and its role in a myriad of life science arenas, including biological research, biomedical instrumentation and agriculture. From effective UV disinfection and optimal aquarium illumination to accurate blood oximetry, success depends largely on the ability to understand the performance of certain light sources.
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According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, the names Great Britain and United Kingdom are often used interchangeably. However, they are not actually synonymous. The reason for the two names, and the difference between them, has to do with the expansive history of the British Isles. The British Isles Read more
According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, the names Great Britain and United Kingdom are often used interchangeably. However, they are not actually synonymous. The reason for the two names, and the difference between them, has to do with the expansive history of the British Isles.
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwestern coast of Europe. The largest of these islands are Britain and Ireland. (Smaller ones include the Isle of Wight.) In the Middle Ages, the name Britain was also applied to a small part of France now known as Brittany. As a result, Great Britain came into use to refer specifically to the island. However, that name had no official significance until 1707, when the island’s rival kingdoms of England and Scotland were united as the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Great Britain, therefore, is a geographic term referring to the island also known simply as Britain. It’s also a political term for the part of the United Kingdom made up of England, Scotland, and Wales (including the outlying islands that they administer, such as the Isle of Wight). United Kingdom, on the other hand, is purely a political term: it’s the independent country that encompasses all of Great Britain and the region now called Northern Ireland.
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