The court found Harte liable of several charges

This Complete List Of Steeleye Span  Albums And Songs presents the full discography of Steeleye Span studio albums. The band Steeleye Span was first formed in 1969;  The group Steeleye Span hails from the area of London‚ England. Hark! The Village Wait (1970) Released: June 1970 CD Track Listings: “A Calling-On Song” – 1:12 “The Blacksmith” – 3:41 “Fisherman’s Wife” – 3:14 “Blackleg Miner” – 2:47 “Dark-Eyed Sailor” – 5:58 “Copshawholme Fair” – 2:36 “All Things Are Quite Silent” – 2:39 “The Hills of Greenmore” – 4:00 “My Johnny Was a Shoemaker” – 1:12 “Lowlands of Holland” – 6:00 “Twa The post Complete List Of Steeleye Span Albums And Discography appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Missed the other parts? Find them here: Check out Part 1 Part 2 is here. Part 3 And here’s Part 4 Dear Diary‚ It’s me‚ Jessica. I went to the market today!   Well‚ Dad‚ Mr. Miller‚ Jack‚ Rae‚ and I went to the market today.   It was so different and crazy! Mr. Miller wanted to build a small windmill to power a pump for both the house and the livestock. Mr. Miller and Dad worked up plans for one‚ but they needed some parts. Dad asked Jack if he thought the market would have some of the parts Mr. Miller needed. Jack thought so‚ as long as they had things to trade the parts for.   I asked to go with them! Dad looked uncertain at first‚ looking to Jack for advice.   Jack said since Andy was gone‚ the people at the market had ‘elected’ a retired sherif with two deputies.  The rest of the community would back him up.  There was a basic set of rules‚ but they were ‘more like guidelines. There were still some shady people around‚ but it was relatively safe as long as we stayed vigilant.  ‘Buyer beware‚’ whatever that means.   Rae heard of the plan to go to the market and said she was in.  She had things to trade.  Then‚ both Dad and Jack were okay with me going.  I was a bit annoyed that they seemed to think I was naive.  Diary‚ they were right.  I am glad Rae was there. Everyone met at our home in the early morning.  Jack and Rae had breakfast with us.  Mr. Miller declined as he ate before he made the hump to our place.  He did have a cup of coffee‚ though.   I asked him where Billy was.  Mr. Miller simply said‚ “He is guarding the farm.” Over coffee‚ Jack said no one was to go off on their own.  We would all stay together.  Everyone was to keep their eyes out for anything that seemed off.   Mr. Miller brought 5lbs of maple cured and smoked bacon‚ maple syrup‚ and honey to trade for parts.    Rae had half a dozen quart-sized jars packed full of canned seasoned venison with onions‚ potatoes‚ and rutabaga—a ready-cooked meal in a jar. One jar could easily feed two people. We left for the market to arrive by midday when the number of people willing to trade would be at its peak.   Before the power went out‚ I never thought about how hills‚ even low ones‚ could make walking more difficult. Now‚ I was feeling it—feeling it in my feet and legs. And that was just on the way to the market! The market just seemed to pop up along the road.  It was an absolute ‘chaos’ of slapped-together wood shacks‚ broken down trucks‚ cargo vans‚ other vehicles‚ and even two tractor-trailers.  It centered on a small clearing at the crossroads of the county road leading to the bridge and the Old River Road.  The river to the West and the heavily wooded and hilly terrain prevented anything much larger.  People milled about mostly on foot‚ but some pushing bicycles.  I saw a few people on horses.  Several fires were going to help people keep warm‚ and a few folks were cooking something.  Even though I ate breakfast‚ when I smelled the hot food‚ I was suddenly hungry. People were talking‚ some laughing‚ others haggling over an item for trade.  Winter hats‚ coats‚ and boots of all kinds and colors‚ from orange blaze to hunter camouflage to navy blue.  Nearly everyone was carrying some kind of rifle‚ shotgun‚ or a drop-leg holster like Jack wore.  Jack said if someone tried to ‘start’ something‚ they would quickly find themselves surrounded til the sheriff and his deputies could arrive to sort things out.  Since the new arrangement after Andy and his deputies were gone‚ things were much better. And no taxes. As we walked through the market‚ several people called out to Jack. He then took their hands and warmly greeted them‚ asking how they and their families were doing. It was a side of Jack I had never seen. Rae said he was ‘playing’ the crowd. Just off the four corners‚ sitting on a big log in front of a small fire‚ was an old man with a long beard‚ a weathered leather hat‚ and an equally weathered leather long coat‚ plucking a banjo. Seeing Jack‚ he stopped to shake Jack’s hand in greeting.   “Good to see you‚ Jack‚” he said with a heavy Irish accent. “Good to see you‚ Sean.”  Jack reached out to shake his hand but passed something to Sean‚ who quickly slipped whatever it was into his long coat.  Jack then asked where the parts Mr. Miller was looking for could be found.  Without hesitation‚ he nodded over Jack’s shoulder.   “North Old River Road‚ right side‚ you’re looking for Nate.  Funny green hat‚ big guy with a red beard and mustache.” He then looked at me and asked what my name was. After I replied‚ “Jessica‚” he began plucking the banjo at a rapid pace‚ occasionally using his thumb to thump the banjo cover like a mini-drum. He sang a song about a woman named Jessica‚ whom an Irish sailor longed to see again. When he finished‚ several people who stopped to listen around us began to applaud vigorously. Rae did‚ too.   Jack went to hand him something else‚ but he held up his hand and‚ in his strong Irish accent‚ simply said‚ “The inspiration was worth it‚” giving me a wink and a smile.  Jack said to Sean‚ “softy‚” with a grin. I blushed. Dad did not look thrilled.   Jack then turned and led us across to North Old River Road.  He explained Sean and several others were the unofficial organizers of the market.  They kept the road clear‚ made sure people used the outhouses‚ and applied homemade lye to them as needed.  If someone was cooking something for trade‚ it had to be reasonably sanitary‚ and the food had to be real.  No unnecessary ‘fillers‚’ whatever those are.  They were also the only ones who could push back against Andy and his deputies when they were around.  Sean was the ‘information desk’ even though there was no desk.  He knew just about everyone in the market‚ who had what to trade and where they could be found.  For trade for information to make navigation of the market faster‚ a bit here or a bit there and the occasional song‚ he ate well or could trade for something else of ‘value.’ We were making our way through the market when some unkept‚ greasy-looking man staring at me smiled with yellow teeth and called out‚ “Hey‚ little girl!  How much?” Rae put her arm around my shoulder and responded‚ “She is not interested!” “How about you‚” he asked Rae‚ grinning even bigger.   “I am not either!” Diary‚ I have never seen my Dad even hint at taking a violent action in my life‚ but the look in Dad’s eyes‚ I think he was about to use his rifle on the yellow tooth man when Jack stopped and turned around.  The man saw we were with Jack‚ his eyes went wide‚ his yellow smile gone. “Whoa! Jack‚” he held up his hands‚ empty. Hey man‚ no harm‚ no foul. Just asking!” Jack paused for a moment‚ then nodded and said‚ “Right‚ Bob. No harm‚ no foul.” Jack glanced at Dad and gave a single nod‚ as if to say everything was okay and to leave it. “What did that man mean?” I asked Rae.  She said she would explain later as we continued on our way. We pressed on into the market till Jack found a big man with a green beret and red beard.   As they shook hands‚ Jack introduced himself.  Nate said he had heard about Jack and he was trustworthy.  Jack simply shrugged but then turned to Mr. Miller and Dad and said‚ “These are the men you will be trading with.  I will vouch for them.” Nate nodded understanding and then asked what they were looking for.  Mr. Miller gave Nate the basics.  Nate thought for a moment and suggested a few parts when Dad interjected with specifics.  Nate gave a broad smile and said‚ “You’re an engineer.”  It was a statement‚ not a question.  Dad nodded.  Nate gave a chuckle‚ offered his hand to Dad‚ and said‚ “Good to meet a fellow engineer!” Then‚ for the next half hour‚ the three of them totally geeked out about Mr. Miller’s windmill.  Jack and Rae both turned and watched the people strolling about.  Jack motioned for me to come closer and whispered into my ear‚ “The crowd.  Watch them.  Not only the look in their eyes but their body language.  Note in your mind’s eye how they carry themselves.  Are they nervous?  Are they relaxed?  Are they hostile?  Are they friendly?  Who are they talking with?  Watch them‚ too.  Rae is doing the same thing.” While both Jack and Rae seemed relaxed‚ they held their rifles in a manner that looked comfortable and relaxed but could easily be used if needed. I took a similar stance with my rifle‚ watching the crowd as Jack instructed and making mental notes.   When we were ‘humping’ it to the market‚ Jack said haggling at the market was the norm.  Haggling was more an art form than a science.  If you haggled poorly‚ that was on you.  However‚ if someone cheated and did not deliver what was agreed upon‚ word would get out.  No one would trade with someone like that.  At the market‚ name and reputation were gold.   Mr. Miller said he was okay with haggling.  He had been to hundreds of county fairs and livestock auctions.  Mr. Miller traded all the maple syrup‚ all the honey‚ and three of the five pounds of cured bacon for the parts he needed.   Once they shook on the deal‚ the items were exchanged‚ and we left and made our way back to the four corners.   Sean greeted us warmly in the afternoon light.   Jack told him of the remaining bacon Mr. Miller had and Rae’s canned venison to trade. Without hesitation‚ Sean hooked his thumb behind him and said‚ “See Anne.”   Jack nodded and led us away to South Old River Road.  We moved past most of the market‚ and Jack took us on a trail leading into the woods.   The woods opened to a good-sized meadow with three buses in the middle. The rear ends of the buses were backed up to each other‚ with a clearing in the middle and a large fire pit. Each of the buses’ sides was buried with a deep earthen berm and topped with thick raw logs just below the bus windows.   Jack said that about two weeks after things went ‘sideways‚’ Sean and his friends drove the converted buses here‚ stole a back hoe‚ and built up the berms around the buses. He also said not to ‘stray’ off the path‚ or you might lose a leg or more‚ and to keep our hands in the open‚ off our rifles.   He stopped a good fifty feet away and called out‚  “Anne!  Sean sent us!” The back of one of the buses opened‚ and a woman older than Rae but younger than Joanna hopped down the stairs.  She smiled broadly and exclaimed in an accent similar to Sean’s‚ “Jack!  Good to see you lad!” She then shouted over her shoulder‚ “The soup is hot!” I saw movement inside the buses‚ but no one else came out. Jack later explained that “the soup is hot!” was a passphrase for “all clear.” Had Anne said‚ “The soup is cold!” we would have been shot right then‚ right there.   Diary‚ I nearly peed myself at the thought of people aiming at me with loaded rifles and safeties off at that very moment.   For Mr. Miller’s bacon‚ Anne traded animal dewormer. For all six of Rae’s meals in a jar‚ she traded a variety of seeds in packets marked “heirloom” and two dozen column-like bee wax candles.   Anne offered to host us for dinner‚ but Jack said we needed to get going to get back home before dark. I was so hungry. I wanted to stay for dinner. But I didn’t say anything. On our way out of the market‚ Rae pulled out a worn wax paper bag and offered it to me. I pulled out a bacon and green onion biscuit. The top had been rolled in warmed bacon grease. Rae said it was hardy and calorie-dense. It was a bit dry but so good at the same time. Diary‚ I ate two. About 1stMarineJarHead 1stMarineJarHead is not only a former Marine‚ but also a former EMT-B‚ Wilderness EMT (courtesy of NOLS)‚ and volunteer firefighter. He currently resides in the great white (i.e. snowy) Northeast with his wife and dogs. He raises chickens‚ rabbits‚ goats‚ occasionally hogs‚ cows and sometimes ducks. He grows various veggies and has a weird fondness for rutabagas. He enjoys reading‚ writing‚ cooking from scratch‚ making charcuterie‚ target shooting‚ and is currently expanding his woodworking skills. The post Dear Diary‚ It’s Me‚ Jessica: Part 5 appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

Can Turkey Negotiate Peace in Ukraine?

A not-so-fresh loaf of 8‚600-year-old bread has been found at Çatalhöyük‚ an extremely early city located in today’s Turkey. While older flatbread – or at least what’s left of it – has been found in Jordan‚ the researchers on this project believe the doughy discovery might be the oldest bread loaf of its kind.Archeologists found the artifact in 2021 while excavating a furnace structure in Çatalhöyük. It wasn't initially clear what the “sponge residue” was‚ but their analysis revealed it was a cooked dough that was likely fermented around 6‚600 BCE.Fortunately‚ the bread was wrapped in a unique style that allowed it to be relatively well-preserved for thousands of years. "With careful documentation‚ it was understood that the small and round spongy find in the corner of the oven was bread. The fact that the structure was covered with a thin clay‚ both wood and bread‚ made it possible for all of these organic remains to be found. It allowed it to be preserved until today‚” Dr. Ali Umut Türkcan‚ head of the excavation delegation at Anadolu University‚ said in a statement. “Radiocarbon tests performed at TÃœBTAK Marmara Research Center showed that our sample could go back to approximately 6‚600 BCE‚” explained Dr Türkcan.      IFLScience is not responsible for content shared from external sites.Çatalhöyük is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s considered to be one of the earliest hubs of urbanization in the world. It’s known as a proto-city; it had a dense population of 8‚000 people‚ but it lacked some of the central planning and centralized rule we tend to associate with urban environments today. The discovery of bones at the site has indicated that animals were domesticated at Çatalhöyük‚ highlighting a time when humans were moving away from hunter-gatherer lifestyles and towards settled agriculture. Likewise‚ the discovery of bread suggests they also started dabbling with the domestication of early grain crops. "We need to say that the starting point of food archeology is Anatolia. Çatalhöyük is one of the very important stops here‚” added Türkcan.Türkcan goes on to describe the find in Çatalhöyük as “the oldest bread in the world.” However‚ rivals to that claim exist elsewhere in the Middle East. In 2018‚ archaeologists discovered the 14‚400-year-old remains of a flatbread in northeastern Jordan’s Black Desert.The discovery in Çatalhöyük appears to be a little more sophisticated as it’s a loaf of bread‚ not just unleavened bread that was cooked without rising agents such as yeast.

You wouldn’t be alone if you hadn’t heard of a lava tube‚ but it turns out there’s actually quite a lot of them – so what exactly are they? And if human curiosity is getting the better of you‚ but you’re a bit worried about‚ y’know‚ molten lava‚ don’t worry: it’s long gone.What are lava tubes?Lava tubes are a type of natural cave‚ and arguably‚ the most badass type. That’s because they were formed by volcanic eruptions. As lava flows above the surface‚ its edges begin to cool and harden and eventually‚ this forms a crust across the molten rock below it – this will go on to form the roof of the cave.Now encapsulated‚ the lava gets superheated‚ causing it to thermally erode down into the ground below. Then‚ when the eruption eventually ends or the lava flows elsewhere‚ the resulting tube is drained‚ leaving behind a lava cave or tube close to the surface.Sometimes‚ lava tubes can refill with fresh lava after a new eruption – this has happened in Hawai’i‚ which also happens to be home to Kazumuru Cave‚ the longest lava tube in the world. If you’re planning on visiting one‚ we’d like to imagine you’d probably check about any impending or recent flows (unless you happen to be trapped in a disaster movie).Can you enter them?Given their proximity to the surface‚ lava tubes actually tend to have more entrances than in other types of caves. As a result‚ there are a whole bunch of places across the world where you can go into lava tubes that formed thousands of years ago‚ including Raufarhólshellir in Iceland and on Jeju Volcanic Island in South Korea. The United States is also home to a number of national parks with lava tubes‚ such as the Lava Beds National Monument and the Mojave National Preserve‚ both in California. The former is home to one of the more complex lava tube formations; whilst many are single tubes‚ the one here splits in multiple directions.Lava tubes can also have a place in culture beyond visiting national parks. For example‚ Native Hawaiians have used the lava tubes on the islands for sourcing water‚ storing food‚ and sheltering from enemies and the elements. They’ve also been used in some ceremonies and burials and in these protected places‚ tourists aren’t allowed to enter. If you’re planning on visiting a lava tube where you can go in‚ check for safety information first; some places may require you to wear particular clothing in the caves‚ like closed-toe footwear and helmets.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current. 

The organic molecules that enabled life to emerge were present on Mars around 4.5 billion years ago‚ research suggests. And while these critical components may have hitched a ride to Earth around the same time‚ it was on the Red Planet that life found the most hospitable conditions.Earth and Mars are both members of inner Solar System‚ which is made up of four rocky planets and the asteroid belt. Shortly after their formation‚ these terrestrial planets endured a brutal bombardment as a torrent of asteroids rained down on the inner Solar System.While these rocks became assimilated into the crust of both Earth and Mars‚ the movement of plate tectonics on our home world caused these ancient meteors to be recycled into the interior of the planet. In contrast‚ the surface of Mars is stationary‚ which means the rocks that smashed into the planet in the distant past remain in place and can be studied.By analyzing 31 Martian meteorites‚ the study authors sought to answer a series of fundamental questions about their origin. For example‚ until now scientists had never determined whether these ancient projectiles came from the inner or outer Solar System‚ or whether they carried any of the organic material that could have allowed life to develop.Using ultrahigh precision chromium isotope measurements‚ the researchers identified the meteorites as carbonaceous chondrites from the outer Solar System. Based on the prevalence of such rocks on Mars and the fact that ice usually accounts for 10 percent of their mass‚ the authors calculated that these ancient impacts brought enough water to Mars to cover the entire planet in 307 meters (1‚007 feet) of water.Significantly‚ carbonaceous chondrites from the outer Solar System are also known to have transported organic molecules such as amino acids to the inner Solar System. These compounds are essential for the formation of DNA‚ and are likely to have provided the raw materials that allowed life to emerge.“At this time‚ Mars was bombarded with asteroids filled with ice. It happened in the first 100 million years of the planet's evolution‚” explained study author Professor Martin Bizzarro in a statement. “Another interesting angle is that the asteroids also carried organic molecules that are biologically important for life.”However‚ while conditions on Mars may have been ideal for life at this early juncture‚ the same can’t be said for Earth. “After this period‚ something catastrophic happened for potential life on Earth‚” says Bizzaro.“It is believed that there was a gigantic collision between the Earth and another Mars-sized planet. It was an energetic collision that formed the Earth-Moon system and‚ at the same time‚ wiped out all potential life on Earth.”Taken together‚ these findings suggest that life probably had a better chance of thriving on Mars than on Earth during the formative years of the inner Solar System.The study is published in the journal Science Advances.An earlier version of this article was published in November 2022.

In the northeastern region of California‚ close to its border with Oregon‚ lies the Lava Beds National Monument. Here‚ a half-million years of eruptions from an unassuming looking volcano have left their mark‚ creating a rugged‚ geologically rich landscape.Medicine Lake volcanoThe big cheese responsible for all of the cool geological features seen at the monument is none other than Medicine Lake volcano. The volcano’s flanks are home to many volcanic formations‚ such as spatter cones and cinder cones formed from eruptions.It’s also a shield volcano. Though it slopes for several kilometers‚ the volcano stands at only 2‚412 meters tall. That might seem a little modest considering other nearby volcanos are nearly double that elevation – according to the National Park Service‚ a lot of visitors don’t even realize they’re on the side of a volcano when driving into the monument.But what Medicine Lake volcano lacks in height‚ it’s certainly more than made up for in its impact on the surrounding landscape.Lava flowsWith their gentle slopes‚ shield volcanos like Medicine Lake are known for their lava flows. At the monument‚ they’re particularly extensive; there’s evidence of over 30 separate lava flows throughout the park‚ surrounding more than 50 kilometers of the volcano’s caldera and consisting of a variety of different materials.The most recent of these flows include the Callahan flow‚ the result of an eruption 1‚200 years ago‚ and the Glass Mountain flow‚ from around 950 years ago. To most people‚ this sounds like a decent chunk of time in the past‚ but to geologists‚ it’s relatively recent. As a result‚ the Medicine Lake volcano is considered to be active‚ even though it’s currently dormant.Lava tubesWhere there are lava flows‚ sometimes‚ there can also be found lava tubes – and Lava Beds National Monument is a great example of where this can happen. There are over 700 lava tubes found in the monument and you can even go into some of them.One of the lava tubes open to visitors at the monument.Image credit: high fliers/Shutterstock.comLava tubes form when the edges of lava flows begin to cool and harden‚ creating a crust across the molten rock below‚ which burrows into the ground as it continues flowing. Eventually‚ when an eruption ends or the lava flows elsewhere‚ the channel drains‚ leaving behind a lava tube.Whilst it’s more common to find lava tubes as a single long channel‚ the ones found in Catacombs Cave at the Lava Beds National Monument are of a more unusual‚ complex type. Not only does the tube split into multiple different passages‚ but there are also levels of tubes stacked on top of each other‚ connected by short pits. This can happen when a volcano has had multiple eruptions‚ with fresh lava flowing over an existing tube.But whilst Lava Beds National Monument is home to some pretty long lava tubes‚ it doesn’t quite nab the title for the longest cave system in the world.

The US Department of Defense presented a large report in which it told everything it knows about aliens. The Pentagon has no evidence of the existence of aliens or extraterrestrial technology and denies rumors that the US government has been developing a UFO research program over the years. This is stated in a large-scale report of the American defense department presented in Congress‚ the NYT reports. The report covers 63 countries and is the most extensive refutation in recent years of claims that the US Department of Defense allegedly has evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations. At the same time‚ the newspaper notes: against the backdrop of distrust in the government‚ citizens’ obsession with the topic of UFOs is unlikely to diminish. Meanwhile‚ Pentagon Speaker Patrick Ryder assured that the department approached the creation of the report as openly as possible and did not discover any secret government programs that were hiding alien objects. “A consistent theme in popular culture involves a particularly persistent narrative that the [U.S. government] — or a secretive organization within it — recovered several off-world spacecraft and extraterrestrial biological remains … and that it has conspired since the 1940s to keep this effort hidden from the United States Congress and the American public‚” the report stated. According to him‚ most UFOs turned out to be ordinary objects or phenomena that were misidentified. And those observations that are still considered “unsolved” remain so only because there is not enough quality data to correctly identify them. Due to the lack of quality source data‚ conspiracy theories are spreading‚ although scientists have repeatedly proven that such sightings are optical illusions‚ weather phenomena or man-made objects. The Pentagon explains the surge in public interest in the topic of UFOs by the presence of modern technologies that have simplified the process of creating hoaxes. The post Pentagon finds no evidence of alien cover-up appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Within the next few decades‚ NASA aims to land humans on the Moon‚ set up a lunar colony and use the lessons learned to send people to Mars as part of its Artemis program. While researchers know that space travel can stress space crew members both physically and mentally and test their ability to work together in close quarters‚ missions to Mars will amplify these challenges. Mars is far away – millions of miles from Earth – and a mission to the red planet will take two to two and a half years‚ between travel time and the Mars surface exploration itself. Nick Kanas‚ as a psychiatrist who has studied space crew member interactions in orbit‚ is interested in the stressors that will occur during a Mars mission and how to mitigate them for the benefit of future space travelers. Delayed communications Given the great distance to Mars‚ two-way communication between crew members and Earth will take about 25 minutes round trip. This delayed contact with home won’t just hurt crew member morale. It will likely mean space crews won’t get as much real-time help from Mission Control during onboard emergencies. Because these communications travel at the speed of light and can’t go any faster‚ experts are coming up with ways to improve communication efficiency under time-delayed conditions. These solutions might include texting‚ periodically summarizing topics and encouraging participants to ask questions at the end of each message‚ which the responder can answer during the next message. Autonomous conditions Space crew members won’t be able to communicate with Mission Control in real time to plan their schedules and activities‚ so they’ll need to conduct their work more autonomously than astronauts working on orbit on the International Space Station. Although studies during space simulations on Earth have suggested that crew members can still accomplish mission goals under highly autonomous conditions‚ researchers need to learn more about how these conditions affect crew member interactions and their relationship with Mission Control. For example‚ Mission Control personnel usually advise crew members on how to deal with problems or emergencies in real time. That won’t be an option during a Mars mission. To study this challenge back on Earth‚ scientists could run a series of simulations where crew members have varying degrees of contact with Mission Control. They could then see what happens to the interactions between crew members and their ability to get along and conduct their duties productively. Crew member tension Being confined with a small group of people for a long period of time can lead to tension and interpersonal strife. In my research team’s studies of on-orbit crews‚ we found that when experiencing interpersonal stress in space‚ crew members might displace this tension by blaming Mission Control for scheduling problems or not offering enough support. This can lead to crew-ground misunderstandings and hurt feelings. One way to deal with interpersonal tension on board would be to schedule time each week for the crew members to discuss interpersonal conflicts during planned “bull sessions.” We have found that commanders who are supportive can improve crew cohesion. A supportive commander‚ or someone trained in anger management‚ could facilitate these sessions to help crew members understand their interpersonal conflicts before their feelings fester and harm the mission. Time away from home Spending long periods of time away from home can weigh on crew members’ morale in space. Astronauts miss their families and report being concerned about the well-being of their family members back on Earth‚ especially when someone is sick or in a crisis. Mission duration can also affect astronauts. A Mars mission will have three phases: the outbound trip‚ the stay on the Martian surface and the return home. Each of these phases may affect crew members differently. For example‚ the excitement of being on Mars might boost morale‚ while boredom during the return may sink it. The disappearing-Earth phenomenon For astronauts in orbit‚ seeing the Earth from space serves as a reminder that their home‚ family and friends aren’t too far away. But for crew members traveling to Mars‚ watching as the Earth shrinks to an insignificant dot in the heavens could result in a profound sense of isolation and homesickness. Having telescopes on board that will allow the crew members to see Earth as a beautiful ball in space‚ or giving them access to virtual reality images of trees‚ lakes and family members‚ could help mitigate any disappearing-Earth effects. But these countermeasures could just as easily lead to deeper depression as the crew members reflect on what they’re missing. Planning for a Mars mission Researchers studied some of these issues during the Mars500 program‚ a collaboration between the Russian and other space agencies. During Mars500‚ six men were isolated for 520 days in a space simulator in Moscow. They underwent periods of delayed communication and autonomy‚ and they simulated a landing on Mars. Scientists learned a lot from that simulation. But many features of a real Mars mission‚ such as microgravity‚ and some dangers of space – meteoroid impacts‚ the disappearing-Earth phenomenon – aren’t easy to simulate. Planned missions under the Artemis program will allow researchers to learn more about the pressures astronauts will face during the journey to Mars. For example‚ NASA is planning a space station called Gateway‚ which will orbit the Moon and serve as a relay station for lunar landings and a mission to Mars. Researchers could simulate the outbound and return phases of a Mars mission by sending astronauts to Gateway for six-month periods‚ where they could introduce Mars-like delayed communication‚ autonomy and views of a receding Earth. Researchers could simulate a Mars exploration on the Moon by having astronauts conduct tasks similar to those anticipated for Mars. This way‚ crew members could better prepare for the psychological and interpersonal pressures that come with a real Mars mission. These simulations could improve the chances of a successful mission and contribute to astronaut well-being as they venture into space. Nick Kanas‚ Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry‚ University of California‚ San Francisco This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The post The difficulties of the first people on Mars: Isolation‚ sadness and civil strife appeared first on Anomalien.com.