Experts say President Joe Biden's demand for Israel to not invade Rafah "makes no sense," because it merely permits terrorists to survive and thrive, ultimately extending the death and suffering in Gaza.

In February 2022, SpaceX and entrepreneur/philanthropist Jared Isaacman (commander of the Inspiration4 mission) announced they were launching a new program to “rapidly advance human spaceflight capabilities” while supporting important charitable and humanitarian causes here on Earth. It’s called the Polaris Program. In a recent press release, SpaceX revealed the spacesuits its Polaris astronauts will be wearing (up top) and described the research crews will conduct during the program’s three human spaceflight missions – the first of which is scheduled to launch this summer! These missions will build on the company’s experience with NASA’s Commercial Crew Delivery (CCD) program, where NASA certified SpaceX’s Crew Dragon vehicle to transport crews to the International Space Station (ISS). According to the company’s press statement, the new suits are an evolution of the Intravehicular Activity (IVA) suit currently used by Dragon crews. This included the crew of the Demo-2 mission, which validated the flight system and was the first crewed mission to take off from U.S. soil since the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011. It was also the suit worn by the Inspiration4 crew as they became the first flight to be crewed entirely by private citizens. These latest are known as the Extravehicular Activity Space Suit, which has several new features. Per the company’s press statement, “Developed with mobility in mind, SpaceX teams incorporated new materials, fabrication processes, and novel joint designs to provide greater flexibility to astronauts in pressurized scenarios while retaining comfort for unpressurized scenarios.” The suit also has redundancy features, such as additional seals and pressure valves to help ensure the suit remains pressurized during EVAs. The new 3D-printed helmet incorporates a new visor that reduces glare and features a camera and a new Heads-Up Display (HUD) that monitors conditions inside the suit. These suits will make their debut during the first of three Polaris missions – Polaris Dawn – scheduled to take place this summer (at the earliest). This mission will be commanded by Isaacman and will see a Crew Dragon launched from Launch Complex 39A atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The crew will spend five days in orbit and attempt to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown. During their time in space, the Polaris Dawn crew will conduct the first commercial spacewalk (and the first EVA where four astronauts were in space simultaneously) and be the first to test the Starlink laser-based communication system in space. The crew will also conduct scientific research in collaboration with the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH), BioServe Space Technologies, Space Technologies Lab, Weill Cornell Medicine, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL), the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. These efforts are designed to advance our understanding of human health during long-duration spaceflights, with applications for health here on Earth. According to the company website, these research activities will include: Using ultrasound to monitor, detect, and quantify venous gas emboli (VGE), contributing to studies on human prevalence to decompression sickness; Gathering data on the radiation environment to better understand how space radiation affects human biological systems; Providing biological samples towards multi-omics analyses for a long-term Biobank; and Research related to Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), which is a key risk to human health in long-duration spaceflight. Polaris Dawn will be followed up by a second mission (Polaris II, the date of which is TBD) that will attempt to build upon these objectives. The third mission (Polaris III) will be the first human spaceflight involving the Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle. But as is made clear in the company’s statement, the suits are intended to fulfill SpaceX’s long-term goals: “While Polaris Dawn will be the first time the SpaceX EVA suit is used in low-Earth orbit, the suit’s ultimate destiny lies much farther from our home planet. Building a base on the Moon and a city on Mars will require the development of a scalable design for the millions of spacesuits required to help make life multiplanetary.” Further Reading: SpaceX, Polaris Program The post SpaceX Shows Off Its New Extravehicular Activity Suit appeared first on Universe Today.

"Populism is the voice of the voiceless. The real threat to democracy is from the elites," argues guitarist Winston Marshall at Oxford Union debate.

Owen Shroyer shares his prison experience, the latest political developments and the current state of society -- tune in!

Dr. Jason Singh, who has all kinds of medical insights on TikTok, recently weighed in on the topic he joked was “more debatable than pineapple on pizza.” That debate would be whether it’s better to shower in the morning, or at night. You would think the “right answer” would be largely up to personal preference, much like which way to face while showering and whether or not to snack in the shower…two previous hot button issues online. But according to Singh, there are definitive pros and cons to each option, which could settle the debate once and for all. Singh says in the clip that overnight, “your body can accumulate germs such as bacteria and fungus” through “processes like sweating and shedding skin cells,” all of which help create odor. When you shower off this residue in the AM, it brings your “skin microbiome back to a more hygienic baseline.” Makes a pretty compelling case for morning showers, doesn’t it? Just wait.Singh went on to say that nighttime showering has “ ‘three things going for it.” One, it helps release melatonin to help induce sleep. Plus, when your body adjusts from a warmer temperature to a cooler temperature, that also helps your body prepare for a good night’s rest. The second benefit is that it washes away “the entire day’s grime.” Which, let’s be honest, can be very therapeutic sometimes. And lastly, showering at night is the ‘better way to help hydrate your skin,” making it a better option for those with sensitive or dry skin. Singh’s bottom line: “Overall night-time showers have more benefits to it but morning showers have really one benefit and that’s better hygiene.” @drjaysonisfresh More debatable than pineapple on pizza ♬ original sound - Dr. Jason Singh Singh encouraged viewers to weigh in with their own opinions, and they didn’t hold back. “You will never convince me to go to bed dirty,’ person wrote. Another argued “The worst part about night time showers is long, wet hair. I hate going to bed with wet hair!”There ended up being some pretty funny responses as well. One person joked that they opted for morning showers since it helps them “Get my head together. Generate a to-do list. Fight with pretend people.”Another person noted that timing preferences can be dictated by their schedule, commenting, “might showers during the work week and morning showers on the weekends.” Many argued that two showers a day was the actual best option. That way you don’t go to bed dirty, and you're fresh for the morning. Obviously, showering at any time consistently is perfectly find, but Dr. Singh offered some valuable food for thought. Of course, you could always follow in this viewer’s footsteps, whole wrote: “I prefer to roll around in dust like a chinchilla.”This article originally appeared on 3.5.24

It's been said countless times, but teachers really are the best and bravest of us all. Anyone who has spent time surrounded by kids, trying to help them learn while managing the countless crises that can occur when hundreds of immature humans are put together in one place, knows that teaching encompasses so much more than just academic instruction. Teachers serve as mentors, counselors, nurses, mediators and sometimes even security guards.That's why a middle school teacher who thought there was a fight happening in her classroom ran full speed toward it—in a dress and heels, no less. A TikTok video shared by @lilythern shows a teacher sprinting down a school hallway with an overlay of text that reads, "This middle school teacher thought she was running to break up a fight." As she runs into the classroom, she sees a couple of dozen students gathered in a tight circle and shouting. The teacher immediately starts pushing her way through the outside of the circle, yelling, "Hey! Break it up! Break it up!" But there is no breaking up to be had. In fact, what she finds is the exact opposite. As the students part to let her through, we see some of them holding up signs and smiling. Then we see a man down on one knee. Watch: @lilythern #fyp #touchingmoment #middleschoolersbelike #loveit How fast was that adrenaline switch from fight-or-flight to genuine joy? Seriously, the fearlessness with which she ran into that room is as heartening as the proposal itself. People in the comments loved it:"She is so strong. She was running towards the chaos to stop it with her bare hands. What a fighter. This is the best proposal ever.""That was the 'Not in my school!' run! ????""Fearless teachers are the ones that deserve the most respect.""Don’t marry her, she has to join the Avengers."The students were clearly thrilled to be a part of the sweet proposal, and the teacher's immediate and enthusiastic "yes" made it all that much sweeter. Definitely a moment none of these students—or their teacher—will ever forget. This article originally appeared on 4.12.23