era sains, teknologi & inovasi - Portal Rasmi Akademi Sains Malaysia

15
Oktober
2012
My Car My Home?
CARS are things that most humans need
in life, like houses and mobile phones, but
is it at the top of the list to begin with?
Many people do not realize that they
spend more time on the road, hence
inside or on their vehicles, than they
spend talking to their family members at
home.
Taking into account the traffic jams,
one might say the road is the second
home for many. Many also die in car
accidents.
Even children living in the modern age
are spending more time in the car than at
home, particularly when their parents
work requires frequent travels.
That’s why many new car models not
only emphasize the safety features but
also comfort for constant long journeys
either short distances in traffic jams to the
workplace, or long journeys back to their
hometowns.
Hence the beginning of new lines of
automobiles called ‘multi-purpose vehicles’
that’s almost as big as a mini bus, with all
the comforts inside a home, maybe minus
the toilet.
Now, new advancements in the design
and engine of these vehicles are also in the
Supersonic Speed to Space
IT can be said that most boys, and a few
girls, gets an adrenaline rush from speed,
and the best thing for speed are jets.
Be it a fighter jet, commercial jetliner or
just a remote controlled aircraft, it’s all
about the rush in speed and turbo roar of
the engine.
That is why becoming a pilot is among
the top ten ambitions of young children,
apart from being an astronaut, which also
entails riding on the strongest fast object
on the planet to get to outer space.
Hard to believe that huge leaps were
achieved within one century from man’s
first flight to space flight, and now maybe
even commercially available space trips for
the public.
Leaving aside the
fact that warmongers
h a s
works, not only to save fuel or use
alternative fuels, but also increase the
space for extra life comforts such as those
you find in certain limousines.
For those that only spend very little time
on the road, such comforts in a car may
seem ridiculous, but when you spend half
your waking hours in traffic jams, having
autodrive and a mini pool or a Jacuzzi in
the car may not be a bad idea after all.
With such remarkable progress seen in
motor shows around the globe, the public
can’t help to wonder and maybe even
hope for mass produced ‘comforts on
wheels’ that’s easy on the pocket and an
eye popper all in one.
pushed the fighter jet industry further than
public aviation, people now enjoy travelling
far distances in faster time on airplanes,
the safest means to travel when looking at
the death rate percentile.
Not only are planes faster and safer, the
size of these people carriers has grown
bigger to accommodate demands for the
best but also affordable air transport.
Major players of the aviation industry
have also started programmes for space
tourism that’s safe and affordable for any
public member, not just the elite.
Taking into account that planes need
airports from one destination to the next,
it’s highly likely this huge new industry for
space tourism will bring about the
development of spaceports linking launch
pads on earth to orbital facilities in
outer space, or even the moon
if possible.
Most people would
think that even if this
is possible, it won’t
be in their lifetime,
but think again
because when it
comes to planes
and rockets, things always have a way of
going ‘supersonic’.
After all, the main issue is not that
people can’t go into space, it’s about
making sure they are safe in space and can
come back down safely in one piece.