22 1GM Friday March 6 2020 | the times
News
NASA
I
n what could be
regarded as a giant
leaf for mankind,
scientists have
analysed lettuce
grown in space and
described it as tasty
(Rhys Blakely writes).
A crop raised by Nasa
on the International
Space Station (ISS) was
found to be richer in
potassium, sodium,
phosphorus, sulphur and
zinc than similar lettuce
grown on Earth. It also
had more phenols,
chemical compounds
with anti-viral,
anti-cancer and
anti-inflammatory
properties.
Nasa researchers
working on diets for
future explorers said
that the results were
promising. Astronauts
have previously failed to
cite a joy in fine diningas one of the attractions
of space travel. Their
cuisine has consisted of
processed rations that
are frozen or irradiated.
For years, Nasa has
been exploring ways to
grow fresh greens in
microgravity. A study
published yesterday in
the journal Frontiers in
Plant Science describes
how red romaine lettuce
was raised on the ISS.
It reports that the
space-grown lettuce was
free of disease-causing
microbes and safe to eat.
Some of the trials
produced salad that
appeared to be more
nutritious than plants
grown on Earth, despite
it being raised amid high
levels of radiation.
As well as a welcome
change in diet, fresh
vegetables could provide
astronauts with extrapotassium and vitamins
that are missing in pre-
packaged rations and
degrade during storage.
Nasa said that crops
could be useful on the
Artemis-III mission to
land on the lunar south
pole by 2024. Plants
could be vital on the
first mission to Mars,
planned later this
decade. The ability to
grow food in a
sustainable system that
is safe for crews will
become critical as Nasa
moves toward longer
missions.
“Salad-type, leafy
greens can be grown
and consumed fresh
with few resources,”
Christina Khodadad, a
researcher at the
Kennedy Space Center,
said.
The lettuce was grown
on board the ISS from
sterilised seeds underred, blue and green LED
lights in chambers with
a watering system.
They were grown for
33 to 56 days. Crew
members ate some of
them with no ill effects.
The rest of the lettuce
was deep-frozen until
the leaves were analysed
at the base. Similar
lettuce was grown on
Earth under the same
conditions.
Scientists found that
both varieties had
similar levels of
antioxidants, which
protect cells.
“The International
Space Station is serving
as a test bed for future
long-duration missions,”
Gioia Massa, of the
space centre, said.
“These types of crop
growth tests are helping
to expand the suite of
candidates that can be
effectively grown.”
Dr Massa said that
future tests could try to
grow small fruits, such
as pepper and tomatoes.
They could also add wild
rocket to the salad.Nasa turns over a
new leaf in space
Shane Kimbrough, a US
astronaut, inspects the
crops in the watered
chamber on the
International Space StationThe world’s biggest social media
companies have pledged to commit
to a set of principles that keep child-
ren safe online and were drawn up by
the “Five Eyes” nations.
In the first global blueprint of its
kind, Britain, the US, Canada, Austra-
lia and New Zealand, who co-operate
on intelligence and security issues,
drafted 11 principles that outline how
the tech industry should protect
children and stop the spread of child
sexual abuse.
These range from pledges to stop
existing and new child sexual abuse
material appearing on platforms,
taking steps to stop the livestreaming
of abuse, and stopping grooming and
predatory behaviour online.
The proposals have been endorsed
by 25 of the world’s biggest tech com-
panies including Facebook, Google,
Microsoft, TikTok, Twitter and Snap.
Priti Patel, the home secretary,Social media giants sign
pledge to stop child abuse
said: “It is truly horrific that thou-
sands of sick paedophiles are preying
on vulnerable children from across
the world.
“This scandal requires our global
partners to work together, and these
principles provide a blueprint for de-
livering just that. I want this land-
mark collaboration across borders
and sectors to define a stronger, new,
united approach.”
The voluntary principles set out by
the five nations are seen as a way of
clearly focusing global efforts to im-
prove online safety, beyond legis-
lation in specific countries.
James Brokenshire, the security
minister, said: “We cannot allow
children to fall victim to predators
who lurk in the shadows of the web.
Through global collaboration and
with enhanced action from the five
countries, law enforcement agencies
and tech companies, we will ensure
that children are protected online.”
The government is also working on
new legislation around online dan-gers, including placing a statutory
duty of care on tech companies to
keep their users safe, overseen by an
independent regulator.
Tech companies have raised con-
cerns about plans in the white paper
for “senior manager liability”, which
would require them to appoint a
named individual who would answer
for breaches. They could face crimi-
nal prosecution.
Andy Burrows, the NSPCC’s head
of policy for child safety online, said:
“Online child abuse is a borderless
crime that targets young lives across
the world day by day. That is why the
global tech industry must work to-
gether to crack down on this threat
with the same strength and speed
with which terrorism is tackled.
“While these are the underpin-
nings of an international response,
the UK has the opportunity to lead
the world with a British model of reg-
ulation that will force tech giants to
protect children on their sites and
keep them safe from abuse.”Tom Knowles
Technology CorrespondentWEEKEND
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