The race to be the UAE's first astronaut is down to the last few. The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced last week that nine candidates have qualified for the final phase of the hunt to find the first Emirati to be sent into space.
This will mark a significant milestone on the UAE’s ambitious space programme which includes sending an unmanned probe to Mars, due to arrive in 2021, marking the nation's 50th anniversary. Future extraterrestrial aspirations involve sending a manned mission to Mars and perhaps, one day, even establishing a colony on the red planet.
The science involved in achieving these goals is vast and necessarily multidisciplinary. This includes psychology. The science of mind and behaviour has a crucial role to play in manned space missions, particularly those heading for distant destinations such as Mars.
Understanding human psychological adaptation to outer space has a long and illustrious history. The cognitive and behavioural sciences have been involved in space exploration since day one. Early behavioural studies involved sending animals into space to assess the psycho-physiological impact of leaving the Earth’s atmosphere.
In 1958, Russia sent a dog called Laika into space. The canine survived for several days although, unfortunately, Laika could not be brought back to Earth.
Next up were the primates, and in 1958 and 1959 the US launched and subsequently retrieved two squirrel monkeys named Able and Baker. One of the primary objectives of these animal missions was to assess the cognitive and behavioural impacts of going into space.
In other words, could the animals still do what they had been trained to do during the ordeal of space flight.
As space programs advanced, psychologists got involved in exploring the psychological impact of space missions on humans too. They also contributed actively to the astronaut selection and training processes. In addition, psychologists specialising in human factors and ergonomic design made significant contributions to astronaut safety, by studying and minimising the likelihood of catastrophic human error.
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Although these contributions are broad, numerous and significant, psychologists could be doing still more to advance our space exploration aspirations.
In the book Psychology of Space Exploration, psychology professor Albert Harrison, and Nasa researcher Edna Fiedler, suggest that the relatively slow realisation of psychology's valuable contribution to space exploration might relate to Nasa's managers and engineers being "thing people" rather than "people people".
With extended duration space exploration and potential manned missions to Mars on the horizon, human factors and behavioural health have become more critical than ever. Psychological research examining the impact of extended periods of isolation and confinement can help us better prepare for these extended missions. Similarly, exploring the challenges faced by people who are reunited with their families after years of separation can be equally insightful and useful.
As the duration of space missions gets longer, it becomes increasingly important to examine the dynamics of interpersonal conflicts in space. With new norms of greater gender equality and international co-operation thankfully emerging, there are also issues of culture, gender composition and group cohesion to examine.
Ensuring the behavioural health and well-being of employees is always essential. However, when those employees are working 24 hours per day in an environment where machine malfunction or human error could be fatal, in an environment at least 300 days journey from their families and support networks, then promoting behavioural health and wellbeing takes on new dimensions of importance.
If you were on a 3-year space mission with six colleagues, dealing with the usual ups and downs of human interaction at close quarters, what would help you to feel good? If colleague B was irritating and colleague C was undermining, how might you best deal with this? These are not frivolous or irrelevant questions. When wellbeing is compromised, bad things are more likely to happen.
Psychology has made, and can make, many more significant contributions to our space programmes. These contributions will be realised sooner rather than later if the “thing people” sit down more frequently with the “people people”.
Dr Justin Thomas is professor of psychology at Zayed University
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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RESULTS
6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)
6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
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Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury
Liverpool
Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')
Shrewsbury
Udoh (27'minutes)
Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)
