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SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER
The first space colonists have already been born! Find out how they’ll live, work and play – and how humanity will change forever – in a 26-page special on the future of humanity in space. Out now in the Dec 2010 issue of COSMOS, Australia’s #1 science magazine.
FINAL FRONTIER: Gigantic space settlements in high orbit may well be humanity’s first tentative dip into the cosmic ocean. Robin McKie talks to a new breed of entrepreneurs who work to make such engineering marvels a reality.
TOMORROW PEOPLE: Our four-limbed, one-headed body is just right for living on Earth. But what changes might the low-gravity, radiation saturated environment of space bring to our species? Lewis Dartnell finds the answers.
MISSION TO MARS: Going to Mars will stretch human technology and ingenuity to its limits, say Fred Guterl and Monica Heger. But for humanity to spread across the Solar System, it’s a challenge we need to overcome.
ROCKET SCIENCE: Expanding across the Solar System will require more than a simple blast off, says Sandra Upson – and a range of promising new propulsion technologies are being investigated.
SECOND NATURE: One hundred years ago, Henry Ford revolutionised manufacturing with the assembly line . Now the scene for another revolution is set, this time with cells, argues Peter Lavelle. Is Craig Venter the new Henry Ford?
ANIMAL PHARM: Transgenic animals are poised to become pharmaceutical factories, churning out everything from natural insulin to cancer treatments. Branwen Morgan reports.
THE ORIGIN OF ANIMALS: The humble sea sponge has a surprisingly intricate genome including the blueprint for complex vertebrates – and it’s not even a true animal. Elizabeth Finkel reports.
TRAVELOGUE – LAND BEFORE TIME: Hundreds of millions of years ago, simpler life forms with bizarre designs roamed the Earth. Heather Catchpole goes to Australia’s Kangaroo Island to help unearth our ancient past.
PROFILE – WEB OF LIFE: After inspiring a generation of environmentalists, Canadian geneticist David Suzuki reflects on his past and his hopes for the future. By Kate Arneman.
DIAGNOSIS: Mozzie bites that give you arthritis.
HIT LIST: The top 10 most influential ancient Arabic scientists.