This week has been a whirlwind of emotions and expectations in the world of cinema! The movie Barbie has been the topic of conversation everywhere from social media to mainstream media. The news that the iconic doll is making the leap to the big screen has aroused the enthusiasm of millions of fans around the world.
With all this, scientists from Washington State University (WSU) used Barbie dolls to test methods of removing lunar dust from space suits, a major challenge in space exploration. Wearing a specially designed astronaut suit, Barbie became the subject of study to solve this problem that affects the suits used in space missions.
Lunar dust turns out to be a tricky problem due to its nature. It is “ubiquitous, abrasive and charged with electricity”, making it extremely sticky and difficult to remove from space suits. During the Apollo missions, the astronauts faced difficulties in getting rid of this dust using conventional brushes and, in addition to being annoying, Moon dust can also be dangerous if inhaled, causing lung damage.
In search of an effective solution, the scientists explored the well-known Leidenfrost effect, which explains how a liquid comes into contact with a hot surface and slides over its vapor before evaporating. This effect turned out to be something positive and is about to be used by NASA. Using liquid nitrogen and volcanic ash similar to lunar dust, they achieved an effective method of removing dust from space suits.
Barbie helps with space suits
Barbie played a key role in this process. Dressed in a space suit, she was subjected to the experiments, and the method proved successful in achieving high dust removal and minimal damage to the spacesuit. The next step will involve simulating an environment similar to that of the Moon, and the scientists hope to conduct future experiments with a human instead of a Barbie doll.
This collaboration between the famous doll and scientists opens up new possibilities for space research and shows how innovation and imagination can come together to tackle major challenges in space exploration. The iconic Barbie continues to break barriers and show that her legacy transcends generations and fields of knowledge.
Fountain: BBC
