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Pupils' space projects seek to solve planet's complex problems

Dubai - The initiative is part of the 'Science in Space' contest by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).

UAE students are hoping to make breakthrough scientific discoveries by sending their experiments to space, including finding new ways of producing oxygen and fighting global warming by reducing chemicals in our food.
The initiative is part of the 'Science in Space' contest by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), in which 15 public and private schools will be selected to send their science experiments to the International Space Station (ISS). The UAE's first astronaut will conduct the experiment while he is there for his eight-day trip, set to start on September 25.
The projects should include the effect of microgravity on cell growth, microorganisms, genes, grass seed germination rates, fungi and algae, the effect of antibiotics on bacteria, basic chemical reactions in space, and other physical, biological and chemical experiments. The results will then be compared to similar experiments carried out on Earth.
More information on the competition is available online at www.mbrsc.ae/scienceinspace, and deadline is April 18.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com

Oxygen in space
Amir Abdou, a Grade 12 student at the Jumeirah English Speaking School, said his idea includes producing oxygen in a non-conventional way, such as using the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and examining its rate of reaction in microgravity compared to Earth's gravity.
"This is the chance for students to discover problems that we may face in the future of colonising, and to come up with innovative solutions to overcome them. The scientific method has always revolved around the concept of experiments. A newly formed hypothesis is useless until there is empirical evidence to back it up. This fundamental statement is the reason why experiments aboard the international space station will benefit life for all of humanity now, and in the future," he told Khaleej Times.
"Microgravity is still a new-concept to us, and there are many mysteries that we need to discover regarding how organisms may adapt to this new condition. With these adaptations, we may be able to discover solutions for some of the world's current problems. It is important that the children of this generation start to come up with experiments, as we are in need of empirical data to support the hypotheses that these children come up with. The data gained aboard the ISS will ultimately form the basis of future research that these children will pursue as they maintain innovative minds through the education of STEM-based subjects across the UAE."
Global warming solutions
A grade seven student at The Winchester School in Jebel Ali, Mishal Faraz, wants to find an environmental solution by sending her experiment to space. "I would definitely like to pursue an experiment which has relevance in relation to mitigating some of the threats that our planet is facing. One of the most harrowing one is that of the carbon emissions - the gases released as a result of human activities. To narrow it down, I've particularly been interested in methane, a gas which is more than 20 times more potent when it comes to trapping heat. This gas is primarily released when food and other commodities rot," she said.
"There are so many questions I would love to find answers to. Is the rising use of preservatives and additives in food material, the use of pesticides and chemicals magnifying the problem? Can the gas itself be countered with an element which will alleviate its heat trapping tendencies? Essentially my experiment would focus around understanding this gas in isolation."
She said her experiment can improve life on Earth as mitigating the heat-trapping nature of these gases will be a "huge leap for mankind".
"Global warming is of the greatest threats our planet is facing at the moment. The process is slow but extremely frightening at the same time. If global warming is not looked upon as an emergency, it would, maybe centuries later, lead us to a planet which is too hot to sustain life, submerged in water and enveloped in toxic fumes," she added.