Archeology and history are basically the search for human past and ancient civilizations. The historians often use written resources committed to dates, while archeologists concentrate on physical remains and shreds of evidence, basically linked to the spatial origin.
Archeological investigations are a leading source of knowledge of prehistoric, ancient, and extinct cultures/ civilizations. The primary aim of archeology is to enrich our present by knowledge of our predecessors’ experiences and achievements. According to experienced researchers worldwide, the most direct archeology findings bear in the history of arts and technology. But by inference, it also provides historical data for ancient civilizations’ social, religious, and economic aspects. In the past few decades, archeological discoveries bring to light and interpret many previously unknown written documents that eventually provide more certain evidence about our past.
The new era in the systematic and controlled archeological research started with the Frencharcheologist Auguste Mariette, who also founded the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. The British archeologist Flinders Patriedeveloped excavating principles and summarized other methods for archeological discoveries and their aims.
More often than not, archeologists use artifacts like ancient tools, clothing, artwork, decorations, features like pyramids or sculptures, etc. to learn how people lived in a specific time in a particular part of the world. Most ancient cultures left written records that archeologists study and research; surprisingly, some of the most valuable written records found so far were shopping lists, tax forms, and other everyday stuff. But many ancient civilizations have had a complicated writing style that archeologists stretch their heads for a long time to understand and decipher with the help of linguists.
For instance, the Mayan language remained a mystery to scholars for centuries; language experts thought that Maya script was merely symbolic and didn’t represent a language at all. They have been trying unlocking the symbols on discovered monuments, pottery, and statues to learn more about this powerful civilization. Still, there is a long way to fully decode the ancient script, and around 15 percent of the script is still unknown. Thanks to the internet era, researchers and linguists can now share their work with each other easily, and when they unlock the final pieces of this puzzle entirely, it will be a huge step forward for expanding our understanding of the social and historical aspects of the Mayan civilization.
This bi-monthly issue of Scientia Pakistan magazine aims to examine matters of interest for public archeology internationally and mainly in Pakistan. We hope that this issue lays out at least some of the definitive questions that archeological research and activities have the potential to interact with the public. We aim to involve the public in archeological studies, specifically our youth. In the past, it has been observed that Science magazines and research articles on archeology help to enhance the public’s interest; for instance, the campaign involving Viking Dublin in the late 1970s and early 1980s received a large number of public’s involvement with archeology at its height that resulted in thousands of Dubliners taking to the city street ostensibly to protect the city’s archeological assets.
Similarly, in Pakistan, we need to preserve our great archeological heritage in the province of Baluchistan, which has been neglected long ago and many of its historical sites like Makran coast, Dera Bugti, and Sibi brought to light and researchers notice after the completion of Makran Coastal highway in 2004, that linked Gawader to Karachi. Perhaps many such sites in Pakistan are still hidden from the world due to insufficient resources and the entire lack of Government’s interest in preserving archeological heritage. Scientia Pakistan specifically covers these sites and presents compelling stories on the Sphinx of Baluchistan, Baluchitherium, Hingol National Park, Taxila, and other places of archeological importance in Pakistan. Have an excellent read. CHEERS!
Mortimer Wheeler once said, “In a simple direct sense, archaeology is a science that must be lived must be “seasoned with humanity.” Dead archaeology is the driest dust that blows.”
Time Machine: An abstract concept most of us have heard of, and each one of us has conceptualized a somewhat different version of it. The literal meaning behind this term is tedious to get hold of. The mere thought to travel in the past or future seems quite impossible, right? However, the trends of evolution accompanied by predictions about upcoming events can be made using fossils: Fossils when used as a time machine.
Paleontology is the scientific study and assessment of plant and animal fossils (remains of organisms in the rock layer of earth), their shapes, structures, evolutionary history, taxonomic relationships, and their interaction with the environment. For example, while studying fish fossils, a scientist can discover the life span of a particular fish. If favorable conditions persisted, the pattern of growth and development of the organism could be predicted.
Fossils can be used to see back in time.
Similarly, in unfavorable circumstances, the factors affecting the overall biological processes of the organism that lead to its existing form can be hypothesized. These details can then be compared to those found in present-day organisms of similar kind and hence provide an insight into the trend of evolution of organisms. The pool of information acquired from the fossil study can then help us understand and link our research to past events and getter a better understanding of life before us. Fossils to a paleontologist are like diamonds for a jeweler: Each one being extremely important and precious.
Charles Darwin, a biologist, known for his great work in science evolution, suggested that organisms of a particular species evolve via natural selection, which ultimately leads to the survival of the fittest. An aspect to be noted here is that paleontology predicts patterns of evolution only. It does not explain the diversity of organisms or the effects of physiological advancements in organisms. Fossil study can help understand the process of evolution by the construction of evolutionary trees after an in-depth study, analysis, and observation of fossils found. An evolutionary tree depicts the relationship that exists between organisms, and each branch in the tree indicates the formation of a new species via the process of speciation.
Similarly, some fossils tell us about how an organism lived. For example, Amber is a solidified tree resin. Occasionally, some resin trips down a tree trunk, trapping air bubbles along with small insects and small animals. Paleontologists study this fossil resin to observe those specimens. The animals trapped in resin are taken a closer look at, and the diet of those organisms and their eating styles can be recognized. Furthermore, any trapped air bubbles are valuable sources for finding out any volcanic activity or atmospheric changes by studying air chemistry.
Amber is a solidified tree resin. Credit: Pinterest
Moreover, the behavior of animals can be predicted from their fossils. For instance, paleontologist hypothesized that whales evolved from land animals. They suggested that hadrosaurs, a type of dinosaur, lived in large groups. This observation is made after gathering evidence of the social behavior of almost 10000 skeletons from a specific site. Similarly, many more theories and logics are used to trace the links between ancestral organisms and those found in the present-day just by taking a closer look at their fossils.
Hysterical laughter: Scott Wing
Scott Wing: A paleobotanist, whose interest lies in the study of responses of the prehistoric plants to climate change, particularly global warming, came across an unexplored hill. His exploration there led him to a Rhus like leaf fossil, something he had never seen before. “As soon as I saw fossils, I knew. They did not look like anything before or after. It was so striking it seemed absolutely hilarious.” Wing stated. Wing’s eagerness to find the pattern of global warming over the years is another pivotal use of plant fossils. An exponential rise in global warming has posed a great threat to present and future generations over recent years. According to Wing, the information gathered by plant fossils can give us a better degree of understanding about how global climate systems are connected and hence determine the effects of carbon emissions in the atmosphere.
Let us think for a minute: What will future paleontologists discover millions of years from now? Probably remains of the present-day organisms, maybe ours. The effect of current climatic changes, pollution, and carbon emissions could be observed in the time ahead. Though not all the organisms will end up as fossils, the majority of those near water bodies may. This is due to the ease of burial at such sites. The study and analysis of fossils in the future will aid in revealing the existence of organisms found in the present day. Knowledge gained from those fossils in the future will enable scientists to discover the anatomy of organisms and track down the events which resulted in the survival of the modified form of species millions of years ahead of now.
Fossils are considered a good source to track down the evolutionary history of organisms
As astonishing as it may sound, fossil study can help predict patterns of future events, primarily the consequences of climate change on lives ahead. Marine ecosystems are highly prone to damaging consequences of climate change. Seawater organisms are already threatened by water acidification, marine pollution, algal blooms formation, lack of oxygen, all due to drastic climatic shifts. By comprehending information acquired after studying fossils, paleontologists can make perceptions about future climate shifts or study about the past ones, hence aiding in grasping a clearer concept of the evolutionary processes and effect of natural factors on the environment.
Although fossils are considered a good source to track down the evolutionary history of organisms, many loopholes remain. For instance, in 2014, researchers suggested that the fossils of a 55-million-year-old Dormaalocyon, a carnivore, resembles the of modern-day tiger and lions. This hypothesis was formulated after studying the teeth shape of Dormaalocyon. However, this is not complete evidence to fully confirm the link between both types of organisms as both groups of animals is rather different species. The main reason behind this uncertainty is the variation that occurs between fossils of the same species even. These transitions act as a hurdle to confirm the linkage between ancestral and modern species of similar organisms.
Despite some loopholes, fossils continue to be and will be a strong contender for playing its role as a time machine. We need to harness maximum information we can from the fossils present, discover for more, and expand our pool of knowledge for finding out about life before us and life after us.
Only in a matter of days, SpaceX and NASA’s Crew-1 will blast off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida onboard Dragon Spacecraft named “Resilience “on Falcon-9 rocket to the International Space Station (ISS). This will mark the first operational mission of Dragon spacecraft, following the success of the Crew Demo-2 test flight last May 2020 carrying astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station and back, and bringing launching services of crewed missions back to the United States after 9 years!
The Resilience will be commanded by Astronaut Michael Hopkins, who has previously flown in 2013’s Expedition 65 aboard Russian Soyuz Spacecraft. His pilot will be Victor Glover, a US Navy Commander who is set to make the record of being the longest African-American in Space. Sharon Walker, American Physicist will aid as Mission Specialist, further assisted by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Astronaut Soiche Noguchi, a veteran of two spaceflights in 2003 and 2009.
The crew arrived at the Kennedy Space Centre on Sunday, 8th November 2020, where they were greeted by NASA’S administrator, Jim Bridenstine, Deputy Administrator Jim Morhard, Center Director Bob Cabana, and manager of JAXA’s International Space Station program, Junichi Sakai. The astronauts have been kept in quarantine till the day of launch to ensure that they travel virus-free en route to the ISS.
NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, and Mike Hopkins, and astronaut Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency – who constitute the crew of NASA’s Crew-1 mission – inside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. Credits: SpaceX
Following the lift-off at 7:49 pm EST on Sunday, November 14, 2020, Dragon will commence docking sequence with ISS on November 15, 2020, followed by the opening of the hatch on the same day. Press Conference with the current astronauts aboard ISS- Kate Rubins of NASA, Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos- has been arranged on November 16, 2020.
This six-months long science mission has been delayed considerable times since September 2020 due to faults occurring in the schedule of Crew rotations and Cargo supply mission’s alignment, and the concerns raised by the technicians on the issues of Resilience’s engines.
Dragon is expected to ‘splash down’ back on Earth in the early summers of 2021. The conclusion of this mission will pave its way for the lift-off of Crew-2 members which is slated for May 2021.
A recent research conducted by the researchers at Cambridge demonstrates that you make poor decisions because you overlook the total value of an event or experience and over-emphasize its end.
What shapes how you remember an event/experience is how your brain values it.
Your last negative experience is the determining factor that decides whether or not you would like for an event to happen again and how you would remember it. These negative experiences blur the early positive memories of an event. This phenomenon is related to the inter-working mechanism of your brain.
The research published in the Journal of Neuroscience shows that concentrating on the ending of an event may result from how your brain encodes the value and temporal profile of that experience/event. Your brain has the ability to keep track of experiences and their meanings as well as how these meanings evolve with time; over-emphasizing, particularly on the ending, will result in poor decision-making.
A computational model developed by the researcher duo Martin Vestergaard and Wolfram Schultz clarified functional MRI recordings. The sample included 27 males. They were given the task of choosing between two streams of coins. The coins varied in size; the bigger the coin, the bigger its value. The model uncovered a disparity between the genuine value of the experience. Members despised when the coins diminished in size, regardless of whether the stream was generally worth more coins. This resulted in participants making wrong decisions.
The results of the study show that the amygdala was responsible for accurately encoding the overall value of an experience. In contrast, the anterior insula of your brain marks down the overall value of an experience if the experience includes a series of negative events.
For those who seek, skies always have something to offer. Last week, the Orionid meteor shower peaked but don’t worry if you missed it for its going to go on for a while. The forecasts by the American Meteor Society shows that a few meteors per hour will be visible.
When Earth passes through the debris of the famous Comet Halley, an Orionid meteor shower is produced. This happens every year around this specific time, as the cosmic shingles go through the upper atmosphere of our planet and burn up, giving us sights to enjoy and marvel at. Shooting stars and fireballs also pop up every now and then. The shower is considered to be a major one as the amount during the active period, i.e. first week of October to the first week of November, is high.
The Orionids enter our atmosphere with a speeding velocity of 66 kilometers per second (147,000 miles per hour). A lot of the meteors last for just a few seconds and some show fantastic displays. To be able to enjoy it, stargazers are advised to find places where there is less or preferably no light pollution and open sky is visible. Focus on specific regions of the sky is not needed. Though, the name ‘Orionids’ is given because their trails come from the same area where constellation Orion is located.
The best time to view them would be early morning hours and given their extended peek, one should be able to catch them through the weekends and early days of November.
Coming up: Leonids Meteor Shower
If you happen to miss the October meteor shower, worry not, as the month of November will also bring another shower with it. From November 16 to 17, the Leonids Meteor Shower will grace the skies. There will be an estimated 15 shooting stars per hour.
Nasa spacecraft Osiris-Rex has successfully landed on an asteroid, dodging boulders the size of buildings, to collect a handful of cosmic rubble and dust samples for analysis back on Earth.
NASA’s team behind the Osiris-Rex project issued a statement that the preliminary data showed the sample collection went as pre-planned and the spacecraft had now lifted off the surface of asteroid Bennu.
The scientific and space enthusiasts have been long-awaited this event and #ToBennuAndBack remains the top hashtag for more than three days on Twitter.
The back-away burn is complete 🛑✅ I'm now moving to a safe distance away from Bennu. pic.twitter.com/bXk2ufSneS
Today, the Osiris-Rex spacecraft sent back confirmation of its brief contact with asteroid Bennu more than 200m miles (322m km) away, drawing cheers from the mission team. But it will take a week or so before scientists know how much, if anything, is grabbed, or nothing at all and another try will be needed. According to NASA’s officials, If successful, Osiris-Rex will return the samples in 2023.
The asteroid Bennu
The asteroid Bennu is just 1,670 feet across, and its gravity was too low for Osiris-Rex to land, which forced the spacecraft had to reach out with its 3.4-meter robot arm and attempt to grab at least 2 ounces (60 grams) of Bennu.
Therefore, on Bennu, the Osiris-Rex spacecraft took around four-and-a-half hours to successfully landed down from its tight orbit to the surface, following the commands sent well by ground controllers located near Denver.
🔥 Checkpoint burn completed. "Okay, we're heading down towards the asteroid surface at this point." Our @OSIRISREx spacecraft is making its descent toward asteroid Bennu for sample collection. #ToBennuAndBackpic.twitter.com/VVCQuhyt7F
According to the resources, this US mission follows one run by Japan’s Hayabusa2, which is due to return to Earth in December 2020 and is bearing samples collected from the 4.5bn-year-old asteroid Ryugu back in May 2019. When it lands in the Australian desert as planned, it will be the first ever sub-surface asteroid sample to return to Earth.
In the first week of October, after a half-century for his work, Penrose just has won the long-awaited, deserving “Nobel Prize in the Physics for 2020”, while in a rush to celebrate his 90th Birthday next year. Today, Penrose still serves as the Professor Emeritus Rose Ball Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and continues to open and inspire the minds of young scientists and enthusiasts globally with the same energy he had decades ago when he produced visionaries such as the Late Stephen Hawking.
In an interview, Penrose once said, “I was always plodding, I was good at mathematics, yes, but I didn’t necessarily do very well in my tests.” “But, my teacher realized if he gave me enough time, I would do well. I basically had to do everything by working it out from first principles.” The above statements show the much foundational curiosity and depths of the eminent physicist to engage and pursue problems, eventually shining with creativity and intellect in the end, what every scientist should have and can practice for. None could have thought that Sir Roger would later go on and become such an influence and founder of the new field of “Black Holes” in Cosmology.
A young Penrose. Credits: University of Leicester
Sir Roger was a Topology Mathematician; the field of mathematics where you can explain the geometry of twisted and weirdly stretched objects; then he, later on, proved the possibility of “This extremely dense zones of space, where matter collapses on itself, where gravity is superficial and not even the escape of light is possible, what we know today as the Black Hole.” As predicted in Dr. Albert Einstein’s ‘Field Equations,’ the existence of singularities calling for the robust explanation of possible space-time curvatures to infinity, forming a Black Hole.
In 1965, 55 years ago, “Sir Roger Penrose,” the Legendary Mathematical Physicist and Philosopher of Science wrote a paper precisely “Proving the possibility of Black Holes mathematically as a manifestation of General Theory of Relativity” when it was regarded as a radical, rebellious, yet an intrepid idea in cosmology. The year 1965 was crucial for the history of General Theory of Relativity, a decade of revival since the discovery of “Cosmic Background Radiation,” Penrose’s “Modern Singularity Theorem” was published.
Incredibly from the perspective of discovering, Sir Penrose was one of the first ingenious to show the that the “core of a star can collapse itself, which is about to die in a supernova, can produce such objects” he also suggested that the “Big Bang” could have happened due to a singularity on such a massive, universal scale, or what we believe is the creation of our own universe.
Nobel Prize in Physics 2020 winners.
Summary of Penrose’s work showing details about the black hole formation.
They discovered that an invisible and cumbersome object governs the orbits of stars at the center of our Galaxy. A supermassive black hole is the only currently known explanation.
Dr.Ghez and Genzel have measured the orbits of stars around the massive object in the center of our Galaxy for decades through international collaborations of different teams; this fundamental scientific discovery is an eventual result of the seed planted by Roger Penrose in 55 years ago, in 1965.
After questions from Pakistani school kids created a buzz on social media, prompting responses from astronauts, the space agency NASA and its STEM engagement circuit also answered their questions.
These questions came from students at Cornerstones school in Karachi, where the teacher posted the queries from the young space enthusiasts on Twitter. She tagged the agency and requested to share it so that everyone else can see and respond. Luckily, a very positive response was generated and soon answers started pouring in from professional astronauts and the space agencies.
In the post, we get a glimpse of the questions that ranged from inquires about the fuel used in a spaceship and whether it rains diamonds on Jupiter or not.
The teacher, Ms. Aimun, says that the kids were over the moon after hearing back from their heroes and couldn’t contain their excitement and surprise. It was definitely an encouraging and happy moment that will hopefully keep them motivated. She said that the students read about the advancements and in the field of space exploration in their course books and were inspired by their achievements.
Here’s a compilation of the recent responses received on the Twitter post of Ms. Aimun.
Hi Alisha! A spaceship, or "launch vehicle” is rocket-propelled & used to carry a spacecraft or humans to space. They may look similar, but no two are alike as they are very complex! @NASA rockets are powered by burning solid, liquid or gas rocket fuel 🚀 https://t.co/qAMvzVFph4pic.twitter.com/hdWxub3mHF
Alisha, Minahil, Haniyah, Mahrukh, Anabiya, & Rayyan – we're so happy you reached out! 🤩 We hope the stars align, so we can see you one day. ✨ Until then, we have virtual tours for you: https://t.co/GogRaIVUPx
💙 Stay curious & keep reaching for the stars. We believe in you!
Hi Minahil, there are a variety of careers to explore!🤩
STEM fields are a great starting point! Check out https://t.co/qEpWN5ZtSm, sharpen those STEM skills & you are on your way to launching an amazing career!🚀
Space sciences are definitely very interesting and there is a dire need for encouraging interests amongst the youth regarding this field. In Pakistan unfortunately, not much interest is laid on it. The conventional educational system rarely encourages to think out of the box. Making science fun and exciting should be the teacher’s priority so that we can have young energetic blood aiming for the skies. We wish these kids the best and hope that they will continue their quest for learning.
From SpaceX sending missions to the International Space Station to the development of state-of-the-art passenger planes, the aerospace industry worldwide seems to be moving in the right direction with a lot of progress and buildout. But in countries like Pakistan, it lags behind and needs a lot of rerouting to get in line with the rest of the developed world. We sat down with a design engineer to hear his thoughts on the current conditions of the aerospace industry of Pakistan and how it can catch up with the rest of the world.
Anique Ajmal Siddiqui did his O levels from Beaconhouse Karachi and later got admission to a Foundation Program at the Queen Mary University of London. He also completed his Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering from Queen Mary. After graduating in the summer of 2018, Anique returned to Pakistan and worked at Integrated Dynamics Aerospace and Robotics, a UAV manufacturing firm in Karachi.
Anique Ajmal Siddiqui is a design engineer and has a Bachelors degree from Queen Mary University of London.
Maham: You are primarily an aerospace engineer. Can you share a little about this industry’s background and how it is perceived in Pakistan, and what kind of work is being done these days, both nationally and internationally?
Anique: To be honest, if I tell someone in Pakistan that I am an aerospace engineer, they usually don’t know much about it, and the only company they can think of is NASA. For sure, it is one of the biggest names in the industry, but it is primarily a part of the spacecraft industry, which differs from the aircraft industry.
Internationally, a lot of work is being done on space exploration; all of this is part of the extensive research and development, from Europe to the USA to even India, as we have seen with their recent attempt to send a lunar lander.
In Pakistan, unfortunately, not much work is being done in R&D. Overall, in our sciences, there is not ample provision of funding that can lead to productive outcomes. Nationally, the organizations working at the government level include SUPARCO. But it isn’t making any strides. People here have a lot of interest; even my fellows from O levels used to speak about their fascination and discussed their desires to pursue it as a career. But I was the only student who did aerospace engineering; everyone else feared for lack of scope in Pakistan. People I met during the early days of my career echoed that thought.
The current Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, has pushed SUPARCO and has announced several projects, including a satellite launch in collaboration with China which is under consideration. However, the development and execution of the proposed projects are still much slower. In recent years, many startups have emerged. I’d like to mention Sara Qureshi of Aero Engine Craft, working on contrail-free aero engines. If her startup is provided funding and resources, it has the potential to be upscaled.
I am glad that in Pakistan, people are now acknowledging the potential. They have interest but are hesitant because of the lack of jobs. Even in the development of unmanned systems, communities and hobbyists are doing magnificent work.
Maham: In recent years, the aviation industry of Pakistan has been through several ups and downs. PIA is now in a state of downfall. What do you think went wrong?
Anique: PIA is marred by political issues and influences. The management hired people for jobs under political pressure and in excessive amounts; double and triple the number required. Now PIA is catering to them and providing benefits to everyone, including those who do not perform any work. On the other hand, Airblue and Serene are small aviation companies, but they are working really well. Serene recently purchased an A330-200 airplane, and Airblue made similar airbus purchases. Both these companies are moving forward slowly but progressively, unlike PIA, which I don’t see making progress anytime soon.
In recent years, PIA’s reputation has been severely damaged and it is unable to redeem itself due to constant political interruptions.
Fortunately, in Pakistan, new airlines are emerging. There is a lot of paperwork and documentation in the aviation industry, from managing routes to exporting aircraft. It takes 3 to 5 years for an aviation company to take off. Aviation is the backbone of tourism, which is being boosted by the Pakistani government, so our overall economic cycle will soon improve.
Maham: Where does the world stand in terms of progress in the aerospace industry, and what are the challenges being faced?
Anique: There is a lot of investment being done internationally in this field. The primary work is Research and Development. Space missions are costly, so the big companies are pouring in money. People like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are pursuing it, and they obviously know the general benefits of exploration. And the way they are investing, I am sure that we will see a lot of development in the coming decade.
If I use my insight generated from my experience in this industry, travel should take much less time than it does. In the coming years, people won’t have hours to spend on traveling. So, technologies are being developed to address that. There are also interests in renewable processes for aviation like electric airplanes, which are in the development phase in various countries. Technology is thriving, but issues arise from civil and federal aviation administration. It’s tough working along with their rules because one has to comply with many safety factors. In Pakistan, the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) industry in the private sector is unable to grow because there is no support from civil aviation. Secondly, the military also raises many red flags. This is a worldwide issue. But changes are being introduced so that people can get more opportunities.
Maham: In the middle of the last century, we saw many milestones being achieved. From the space race to imaging of the cosmos, it felt like we would soon reach other planets. But the pace reduced. What were the reasons?
Anique: There were a number of reasons for that. In America, many people opposed space exploration. There were conservative groups that called it natural exploitation and argued that there were no gains whatsoever. Now there is much more awareness. People are looking at other bodies that may support life, for Earth is being damaged. There were also several major setbacks like the 2003 Columbia disaster in which the entire crew lost their lives, which heavily impacted the space shuttle program, with people calling out for the risks and high stakes. There were funding issues as well because this type of work requires massive financing. Rockets were not reusable back then. The technology has just been perfected recently with the SpaceX initiatives. It was not practical at that time, but research and development continued.
TIME magazine cover depicting the tragic Columbia disaster. It was a severe blow to NASA’s Space Shuttle Program. Credits: TIME
Maham: With the current pace of development, can we really reach to Mars in the next decade?
Anique: In the coming decades, you will certainly see the product of a lot of work being done now. I don’t think it’ll be possible by the next decade, but indeed within the next 50 years, humans will reach Mars. Worldwide, there are a lot of precautions followed for experimenting with human life. Going to space takes a lot of time. But all big companies are looking into further exploration. Elon Musk himself is quite a visionary person and is very enthusiastic about Mars. Going to the Moon will be relatively easy. Considering the current progress, within 20 years, I think it will be feasible as a vacation spot.
Maham: As your work is on UAVs, how much progress do you think is being made in this sector in Pakistan? What are the problems arising?
Anique: In Pakistan now, quite a few companies have started working on UAVs. When I did my internship three years ago, there wasn’t any other company working on it. When you tell someone from the public that you are working on drones, they ask whether you will go to Waziristan to drop a bomb. People who are not aware think of these as instruments of terror. There is a need to educate and change such perceptions.
Most of the work is being done in those sectors that are closely linked with the forces. There is a company in Islamabad called SATUMA that makes drones for forces. Recently, NUST students and faculty also designed a quadcopter for pesticide spraying and aerial imaging, showing that there is a lot of potential in this market. UAVs can help us do a lot of work in much less time. For example, courier services take a day to send something from Karachi to Islamabad, even though a flight takes two hours. One can send a fixed-wing that can drop a payload on the desired destination within hours. But the government doesn’t give that much of a free hand and prohibits the use of airspace. There are a lot of factors, documentation, legalities to comply with.
Maham: There is a lot of talent and interest in Pakistan, but there is still some hesitation and awareness issues. How do you think we can explore the potential and inspire people to come forward?
Anique: The most significant role in all of this will be of the organizations that are making progress even at a smaller level. People like Sara Qureshi can be symbols of motivation. I have met a lot of people who have a discouraging attitude. But it’s all about looking on the bright side.
Most of the companies in Pakistan are in the early phases. The general mindset is that people feel there aren’t enough engineers or facilities, which carries a lot of misconceptions. The basic conventional mindset compels people to look for a job after their degrees and earn just enough to support their homes, and they get stuck in a cycle. There is no personal or technical or even financial growth in it whatsoever. It is better to work and invest in your skills at an early level. Conventional businesses in Pakistan are going to be obsolete soon because, in the coming years, people will start investing in digital markets. People regularly complain about the lack of market. The market is always there; you just need to display that your work is feasible.
Most of the work is being done in those sectors that are closely linked with the forces. But many startups are emerging targeting the private sectors. Credits: Yang Shuo
Maham: What do you make of the environment in Pakistani universities given that you have studied abroad, and how can we excel like the rest of the world in the research sector?
Anique: The environment created in Pakistani universities pushes students to seek jobs after graduation. This primary mindset traps them, halting research. The faculty and universities should promote research, small businesses, use of technology. Folks should participate in science exhibitions, but they need to take it to the next level and commercialize their projects so that they can gain some incentive. There should be stimulation and incubation centers that can provide forums to think and collaborate. Where I used to study, multiple incubation centers were present that linked startups to various companies; 3D printers were readily available that were used by students for their projects, but that’s not the case in Pakistan. When there is the introduction of new concepts and deployment of exciting technologies, people get motivated.
Maham: We also hear a lot about air travel causing global warming and the aviation industry not being environment friendly. Does it really have that much damaging effects as claimed?
Anique: Air travel does have an impact on global warming, causing roughly 5 percent of it. Air traffic will increase massively by 2050. The aviation industry is set to grow on an even bigger level. But for such processes, you make sure it doesn’t exceed its boundaries. You will see engines in a few years that will be developed in a way not to impact global warming. Better electrical batteries are being developed to support green aviation and a zero emission, liquid hydrogen fuel aircraft by Airbus is also under development. All these new concepts will significantly change the dynamics of this industry.
Maham: What are your recommendations for those who want to enter this field?
Anique: There are technologies and small startups to which people should look up to in terms of increasing their knowledge but not for financial support as everything is still in the growth phase. Those still studying should expand their networks and learn about the recent developments. Visit forums outside the university as there is always a chance of stumbling upon a project that has the potential to be commercialized. Interested people should read more and invest some years in familiarizing themselves with the market.
For the folks longing for some stargazing events, here is a compilation of everything coming up in the skies of the fall season. It is going to be fantastic, so mark your calendars and get your telescopes ready.
Mars at Opposition
Keep the night skies of October 13 in check as Mars is going to make its closest approach to Earth. It will be in all its glory and is expected to be at its best since 2003. And such a fantastic opportunity is not going to come until December 8, 2022.
Orionids Meteor Shower
From Wednesday to Thursday, October 21 to 22, you will get to witness the Orionids meteor shower. It will appear its brightest after midnight when it will pass Earth with a speed of 20 meteors per hour.
Halloween Hunter’s Blue Moon
The second full moon of October will occur on Halloween night. It will not really be blue though and is given the name “Hunter’s Moon” because it rises in the east near the time of the sunset.
Leonids Meteor Shower
If you happen to miss the October meteor shower, worry not, as the month of November will also bring another shower with it. From November 16 to 17, the Leonids Meteor Shower will grace the skies. There will be an estimated 15 shooting stars per hour.
Moon Eclipse
The ‘Frosty’ or ‘Beaver’ Moon of November will hide behind the Earth’s penumbral shadow on the 30th day. It will be visible only from North and South America, Australia, and East Asia and will be the last penumbral lunar eclipse of the year.
‘Geminids Meteor Shower’ and a ‘Total Solar Eclipse’
Astronomy lovers and stargazers are in for a treat on December 14, 2020, as these two fantastical events will occur in the skies just hours apart. The 120 multi-colored shooting stars per hour will shower will be visible to everyone and will peak after midnight. The solar eclipse, on the other hand, will stretch through Chile and Argentina and will last for a few minutes only.
Jupiter and Saturn Conjunction
On the 21st day of December, which will also be the December Solstice, great conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn will occur and will be visible in the western sky right after sunset. A great way to end the stargazing calendar.
