From vaccine development and purifying water to improving baby formulas, space technologies and research have been a huge benefit to daily life on Earth.
Since 1976, US space agency Nasa has recorded more than 2,000 spin-offs of space-related projects that have been commercialised and brought to the market.
A technology transfer programme was launched so companies could use Nasa’s technology in products for public use.
The National takes a look at 10 inventions and research that were made possible because of space tech and research.
The list is compiled based on comments from Sahith Reddy Madara, member of the Space Advisory Council, and data from Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Red LED
Nasa used red LED to grow plants during the Space Shuttle missions. Eventually, the technology became part of a two-year clinical trial, where it was discovered that the light reduced painful side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiation treatment in bone marrow and stem cell transplant patients.
The treatment was called the High Emissivity Aluminiferous Luminescent Substrate and treated oral mucositis – an extremely painful side effect of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
The study also gave birth to the Warp 75 medical device, which offers light therapy for deep tissue pain relief and became commercially available in 2009.
Invisible braces
Nasa’s technology transfer programme helped one company to create invisible braces. In 1989, It worked with Ceradyne Inc to develop translucent polycrystalline alumina, a ceramic that is stronger than steel. Nasa originally used it as a protection tool for infrared antennae on missile trackers.
Since then, more techniques for invisible teeth correction have emerged, including removable invisible aligners that require no brackets at all.
Water purification system
Drinkable water is a priority for space agencies to maintain astronauts’ good health while in space.
In the 1960s, Nasa invented an electrolytic silver ion generator to purify water on the Apollo missions. The technology electronically released silver and copper ions into the water, which helped to neutralise bacteria and viruses, and then filtered it.
While the initial version of the invention never actually went to space, it helped other filtration systems emerge in homes, pools, hospitals and spas.
Now, space agencies use much more advanced water-purification tools that can convert human sweat, urine and other liquids into drinkable water on board the International Space Station.
More studies are being carried out to discover how astronauts could possibly produce their own water and oxygen in space, as space agencies work towards setting up bases on the Moon and Mars.
Camera phone
To take photos from space, spacecraft need to be equipped with a top quality camera. So, a team at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Lab invented the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor active-pixel sensor in the 1990s – a type of image sensor that improved picture quality using miniature imaging systems (a tiny camera).
Shortly after, the team that made the discovery formed a company called Photobit. By 2000, they had shipped one million sensors, which were used in web cameras, dental radiography and automotive applications.
That same technology was also used in some of the first camera phones.
Ear thermometers
After Nasa invented infrared technology to measure the temperature of stars, a company called Diatek partnered with the space agency in 1991 to use the technology in thermometers. The creation helped to measure the temperature inside the eardrum.
Infrared technology, in general, has proved useful in many areas. Infrared is a type of radiant energy and can be measured in wavelengths. It is not visible to the human eye, which is where infrared tech comes in handy. It is widely used in security systems, remote control systems and night vision equipment.
Vaccine development
Astronauts have carried out research on infectious disease in microgravity for many years.
Nasa said microbial cells found in infectious diseases change dramatically when exposed to the space environment. These include “alterations of microbial growth rates, antibiotic resistance, microbial invasion of host tissue and genetic changes within the microbe”.
These kinds of experiments expose the various characteristics of the disease, which could help scientists with vaccine development.
It is unclear whether any space vaccine ever became widely available to the public.
However, there is research on other vaccines that benefited the wider medical community.
Researchers at Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Centre and Arizona State University carried out studies on salmonella bacteria, with samples that were flown to the ISS between 2006 and 2009.
Salmonella, caused by contaminated food or liquids, is one of the most common bacterial infections. The bacteria lives in a person's or animal’s intestines.
The Recombinant Attenuated Salmonella Vaccine was developed, but was never distributed. Scientists, however, are adding to the existing research to produce a vaccine.
Mylar
Commonly known as the space blanket, Mylar was invented in the 1950s to protect Nasa spacecraft from the Sun’s heat.
Now, the aluminium-coated plastic material, which traps and reflects heat, is used in all satellites and spacecraft.
Mylar is also used on Earth, and keeps those with hypothermia warm because the blank retains heat.
Wireless headsets
In the late 1950s, Nasa invented wireless headsets to help astronauts communicate with each other without having wires tangled up inside the spacecraft.
The invention gained popularity after Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon in 1969 and spoke through a special set of headphones.
The headset was called the MS-50 and was developed by Plantronics within 11 days in partnership with Nasa.
Technology used in today’s modern devices are inspired from ones in the past.
Memory foam
In the 1970s, an aeronautical engineer, Charles Yost, worked with Nasa to make airline seating more comfortable and offer better protection during a crash situation.
He went on to create what we know today as memory foam. It was an open-cell, polymeric foam material that was incredibly soft.
Nasa fitted that material into new aircraft seat designs and also used it during the Space Shuttle era.
Now, memory foam is widely available and is found in mattresses, pillows and rugs.
Improved baby formula
In the 1990s, Nasa researchers found that some algae contains fatty acids that are also in human breast milk, specifically docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid.
They were looking for ways to create oxygen in outer space by using algae, but instead found a way to make baby formula more nutritious.
The researchers went on to work for Martek Biosciences Corporation, which developed and manufactured the vegetable oil-like ingredient called Formulaid.
Nasa claims the ingredient is now used in 90 per cent of all baby formulas.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
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How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
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2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
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2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
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Winner: Najem Al Rwasi, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Fandim, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
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3.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
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DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5