New Horizons visit to Pluto

What historical event fascinates you the most?

It’s hard to believe it’s been eight years since the New Horizons space craft flew by the now minor planet Pluto and it’s moon Charon.

The rest of the solar system had already been explored over the previous decades by other probes sent out by NASA including Voyagers 1 and 2 which had undertaken a grand tour of the systems gas and ice giant planets. These are now over 18 light hours away.

When New Horizons arrived at Pluto on 14 July 2015 it found a tiny world with a heart shaped feature on its surface. The predominant colours are reds, whites and dark greys. The surface is mottled and pock marked in some places, and smooth in others. The photos of the encounter are spectacular and can be seen online. The Wikipedia page about New Horizons is very informative. I don’t propose to reiterate all the information here.

I chose this mission because it happened in my lifetime. I could have chosen other missions or historical events, but I wanted to chose something that represented the farthest influence or encounter that humanity has ever made. Hopefully we will continue to find out more about our solar system, our galaxy and the universe in the future.

The Earth is a sphere!

What’s something you believe everyone should know.

A look at the Earth from space, the North American continent is fully visible, but the South American continent follows the curve of the Earth around to the other side. Also note the left side is darker as the Earth rotates into darkness.

Question. If Earth was flat where are the other continents hiding? Why isn’t the whole planet in full sunshine? Why is the shadow the Earth casts on the moon always round? (which gives us the moons phases). If Earth was flat the shadow would sometimes be a line. Why is every planet a sphere but not Earth?

Occam’s razor says that usually the simplest explanation is the truth.

From Wikipedia :

In philosophy, Occam’s razor (also spelled Ockham’s razor or Ocham’s razor; Latin: novacula Occami) is the problem-solving principle that recommends searching for explanations constructed with the smallest possible set of elements. It is also known as the principle of parsimony or the law of parsimony (Latin: lex parsimoniae). Attributed to William of Ockham, a 14th-century English philosopher and theologian, it is frequently cited as Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem, which translates as “Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity”,[1][2] although Occam never used these exact words. Popularly, the principle is sometimes inaccurately[3] paraphrased as “The simplest explanation is usually the best one.”[4]

Freedom to play

What does it mean to be a kid at heart?

Freedom to play, freedom to think. Work with others, like this collaboration mural. The brain is plastic and it changes massively through childhood. Keeping hold of that willingness to learn and play helps solve problems, makes you think.

Memories of paddling in a river, or climbing a tree, having freedom to go to college and learn. I also think wit, and humour is important. Playing with words, striking up conversations with people. Enjoying puns and jokes, still being able to giggle. Fun is freedom to keep hold of your childhood.

Three magic wishes?

You have three magic genie wishes, what are you asking for?

View of Earth

I’m going for two of the traditional Miss World answers from the past…

1. World peace, ie, an end to fighting and the horrors of war, and crime. No doubt someone will start an argument about the Peace five minutes after it finally happens.

2. An end to famine, with sufficient food for everyone, always.

With these two wishes granted I would hope humanity could get it’s act together and sort out pestilence and the other existential crises.

3. The third would be sorting out global warming. Without this, the other two wishes would be wasted. To have the luxury of knowing the world is not going to fry would be wonderful.

We always want wishes. But why not solve things ourselves instead? Take responsibility instead of taking resources. Consider others. Only use the power you need. Only travel where you need to. Give up some air miles. Share a car, share a thought.

Education is key. A broad spectrum of knowledge must help. I’m convinced that uneducated people are more likely to be repressed or oppressed by their employers or governments.

Life is hard, but rather than looking for an external answer we need to look to ourselves.

How?

Describe a family member.

So how to do describe a family member? The wrinkles on their face? Their hair colour, skin colour, other physical attributes? Height, weight, hairstyle, glasses or not.

Faces are square, firm jawed, soft skinned, made up, lipstick, mascara. Eye colour, hair colour.

Musical, artistic, crafty, cook, reader, tidy scruffy or normal?

Add a few of these as a combination…

Arthritic, short, hairy, smiling, vegetarian, rock chick?

Or balding, bearded, blue eyed, tall, scruffy, and a mechanic.

A person may describe me in one way, someone else in another. Without facial recognition would you recognise me from my description? How many other people fit the discription?

My family members will remain hidden from the Internet. Because I don’t want to share. I think that’s fair enough.

Walking

What is your favorite form of physical exercise?

I haven’t been able to do much walking recently. Injury will do that. I used to love running and cycling, but I got a car and that was my biggest mistake. A sedentary job didn’t help either.

I tried to get into walking with a friend, that happened for a year, then I pulled a calf muscle which caused a lot of pain. For months. After that I started again. Only to hurt myself again! I literally feel like I’ve taken one step forward and two back. But I will try again, it’s cheaper than driving and better for the environment. Don’t get a car unless you have to!

Moon shot

How much would you pay to go to the moon?

If money was no object, and the trip was totally safe? I would start saving now, and after 100 years I might have enough money to get to the moon, but not get back.

I would have liked to go when I was younger, but perhaps the 1/6th gravity compared with Earth would make it safer as I get older, if I fall I would be less likely to break my bones.

But if I had enough money I would want to come home. The bleak moonscape, lack of colour, vaccum of space and harsh radiation on the surface would be too much of a risk. I would feel safer if they created a moonbase or converted sub lunar caves into habitable refuges.

I would stand on the moons surface and stare at the blue and white pebble in the starry sky, and dream of home, the greenery I was missing, and feel deeply homesick.

Jobs not career

What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in?

I’m not a banker, politician, doctor, vet. I’ve done jobs that have lasted weeks, months or years, but none I would call a career. This is the Internet, so I’m not going into details. Why should I tell all and sundry? I did think of taking up a career, but it didnt work out (I failed the interview) I might be rich or at least well off. I didnt follow that path, so in ended up with a series of jobs.

But through it all I’ve been creative, I make art, it might not be the best, but I love painting and drawing, taking photos, making pottery, experimenting. Who needs a career if you have the freedom to be yourself?

Whatever you do, be open to chances, take care, I wish you luck

I don’t have one

What food would you say is your specialty?

Cornucopia

I had cooking lessons at school, the classes were called domestic science. I learnt to make all sorts of things in those lessons. They stood me in good stead. I learnt mainly baking, from rock cakes to Victoria sponges. But also things like Danish open sandwiches.

Then as a student I learnt to throw a meal together from scraps and at a low cost. Beans of many varieties were used together with lots of garlic and herbs and tomatoes. With some oil of course.

Later I learnt to cook a good approximation of things like chicken Kiev and other staples such as spaghetti bolognase. They probably looked messy, I was renowned for using chunky vegetables instead of chopping them finely.

So give me a few ingredients and I can try and rustle something up. The important thing is I can afford to eat, many people can’t, or are in situations where they cannot get food at all. I don’t know how I ended up being so lucky, I hope it lasts.

The Moon landings

What major historical events do you remember?

It was the summer of 1969. My dad got us up from bed so we could watch the moon landing on TV. I remember Patrick Moore explaining what was happening excitedly. Micheal Collins filming the moon lander from his vantage point in the command module, it was dropping down towards the surface of the moon, then the landers own camera as it seemed to creep down toward the surface, it’s retro rockets blowing away the lunar dust as its shadow started to fill the screen. Then “the Eagle has landed”….grainy black and white TV pictures…

Man had landed on the moon after a journey of about 250,000 miles. It doesn’t sound that far when you write it down. Did it only take 3 days to get there?

Then after a while Neil Armstrong climbed down the ladder and stepped onto Lunar regolith. “it’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Nowadays there would be a proper speech, but it was fantastic to see both Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moons surface. I don’t remember any more than being utterly amazed….