English Learning for Curious Minds #526 | Space Mining | The Future or Science Fiction?
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Jan 16, 2025 Space mining may sound like a fantasy, but it's edging closer to reality. The podcast dives into the potential of asteroids, like 16 Psyche, as treasure troves of precious metals. It tackles the technological hurdles of harnessing these resources and the rapidly decreasing costs of space travel. Ethical questions about ownership and the environmental impact on Earth also come to light, creating a fascinating debate over whether this future venture could benefit our planet's economy.
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16 Psyche's Immense Value
- Astronomer Annibale de Gasparis discovered asteroid 16 Psyche in 1852.
- Now, it's believed to hold precious metals worth $10 quintillion, 100 times the global economy.
Asteroids vs. Planets
- Asteroids are remnants of the early solar system, differentiated from planets by size and shape.
- Most reside in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but some orbit closer to Earth.
Asteroid Composition
- Asteroids, unlike Earth, have accessible precious metals distributed throughout their structure.
- This makes extraction potentially easier and less environmentally damaging than terrestrial mining.