How 11 Deaf Men Helped Shape Nasa’s Human Spaceflight Program

Before NASA could send humans to space, the agency needed to better understand the effects of prolonged weightlessness on the human body. So, in the late 1950s, NASA and the U.S. Naval School of Aviation Medicine established a joint research program to study these effects, and recruited 11 deaf men aged 25-48 from Gallaudet College. Today, these men are known as the “Gallaudet Eleven.” All but one had become deaf early in their lives due to spinal meningitis, which damaged the vestibular systems of their inner ear in a way that made them immune to motion sickness. Based on their findings from a decade’s worth of experimentation, researchers gained insight into the body’s sensory systems and their responses to foreign gravitational environments. Through their endurance and dedication, the work of the Gallaudet Eleven made substantial contributions to the understanding of motion sickness and adaptation to spaceflight.

 

 

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The Trial That Brought Down The Sicilian Mafia

Italy currently holds the world record for the largest trial in history, with the Maxi Trial lasting from 1986 to 1992. The Sicilian Mafia, known as “Cosa Nostra” was formed in the 19th century. With hardly any police or system of authority in place, crime was rampant, and theft was an everyday occurrence. To counter the theft, a group of men formed an alliance called Cosa Nostra and would accept payments from peasants to return their stolen cattle. They were highly successful at doing this, as they returned 95% of stolen cattle, as compared to the police, at 5–10%. Due to their vengeful style of law and order, landowners and shopkeepers began paying for the Cosa Nostra to protect their property. Once Italy criminalized being a member of the mafia, the police inflicted a massive crackdown on them. Former Cosa Nostra member, Tommaso Buscetta, was arrested, and in exchange for his testimony against the Sicilian Mafia, he was granted immunity. On February 10, 1986, in a courtroom that was constructed alongside a prison in Palermo, the Maxi Trial began. A whopping 475 mafiosi were charged with various crimes, including mafia conspiracy, drug trafficking, extortion, and 120 murders. The trial concluded in 338 convictions, resulting in a total of 2,665 years imprisonment (plus life sentences imposed on 19 crime bosses), and 231 acquittals.

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Scientists Finally Figure Out Why We're More Likely to Get Sick in Cold Weather

The average American adult experiences 2-3 bouts of the common cold a year, and as winter approaches the likelihood of getting sick increases. For years it’s been thought that cold and flu viruses are rife during winter because colder temperatures drive people indoors, and being in close proximity to a group allows viruses to transfer from one person to another more easily. Now, research by a team of Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital and Northeastern University suggests there may be biological reasons for why we’re at significantly increased risk of getting sick when the temperatures drop. Virus particles enter the nose through inhalation or direct touch. After they make their way in, the cells in our nasal cavities swiftly activate to start expelling them. The new study findings indicate that colder temperatures significantly impair this immune response. When nasal tissues are exposed to temperatures of 40º F, the immune system can be decreased by as much as 40%. This reduction can make the virus more apt to stick to the nasal cells. From there, they can divide and cause infection. The good news is that Vitamin C can help bolster our nasal defenses, as it has been shown to enhance our mucus membranes, as well as overall immunity. Vitamin C can be taken as a supplement, but the easiest way to get it is by eating foods such as oranges, broccoli and red peppers.

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The Hutterite Farmers of Montana

Often compared to Amish or Mennonites, Hutterites are a communal people belonging to a peace-driven Anabaptist sect that lives by the principle of non-resistance — the practice of not resisting authority, even when it’s unjust. Nearly 50,000 of them live around the Western U.S. and Canada in colonies of 80-150 people made up of families who live and work together. Faith, family and hard work make up the core value of the Hutterites. Jake Waldner (right, pictured with farm hand Brian Kleinsasser) is one of those members. His colony supplies chicken, duck, some produce, and occasionally bread to The Resort at Paws Up — a luxury ranch promoting the Western lifestyle. It’s an odd juxtaposition — Hutterites supplying food to a resort that offers luxury camping for tourists at upward of $500 per night — but Waldner doesn’t see it that way. He needs income and the resort needs products, and they both see it as a great friendship. Waldner is responsible for raising about 8,000 chickens, 1,000 ducks, and 1,000 turkeys each year on his state-of-the-art farm, which encompasses 9,600 acres, including a 12-acre garden. The animals are raised free range, without hormones or antibiotics, and are fed barley and wheat grown on the farm. After they’re processed and packaged, Waldner himself delivers them to farmers markets, local grocery stores, individuals, and establishments like Paws Up. The Hutterites don’t do it this way because it’s trendy; it’s simply how things have always been done. Unlike the Amish, Hutterites have all the latest technology, from GPS-driven tractors to smartphones and tablets. Each part of the farm — fields, blacksmith, hogs, etc. — has its own boss. Men are expected to take care of their own chores first, then pitch in wherever they are needed. They're working sunup to sundown most of the time, though on rainy days, "We goof off like anybody else," admits Waldner. For him, the fun is getting to interact with his loyal customers.

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