Astronaut Scott Kelly: In Space, You Can't See Political Divides
*By Chloe Aiello*
Astronaut Scott Kelly saw the sun rise and set about 32 times each day during the 520 total days he spent in outer space. He also spent considerable time looking at Planet Earth. Naturally, it changed his perspective ー in the most literal sense.
"You do get more in tune with the environmental issues when you see that our atmosphere is very fragile looking, very small ... you see pollution over certain parts of the planet. You see the Earth with no political borders between countries," Kelly told Cheddar Friday.
"That makes it seem like, you know, we're are all in this together ー this thing called humanity ー and we need to work together to solve our problems."
That's the perspective Kelly shares through images in his latest book, "Infinite Wonder: An Astronaut's Photographs from a Year in Space." The book contains Kelly's personal photography, which captures the Earth and Moon, sunrises and sunsets, and even life aboard the International Space Station, where Kelly spent so many hours.
But as awe-inspiring as his photos may be, there's nothing quite like the real thing. But Kelly said we're closer than we realize to space ー especially with Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk on the case.
Kelly said he had the chance to visit Bezos' aerospace company Blue Origin a little over one year ago.
"They are absolutely serious. They are not kidding around. They are going to be flying people in space pretty soon, and I think it's a great thing," Kelly said.
Bezos has said his company hoped to begin ferrying humans to outer-space in 2018 ー with the eventual goal of regularly transporting wealthy tourists in suborbital flight. Billionaire entrepreneur Musk's SpaceX also has radically ambitious space aspirations, including a mission to Mars in 2022 and a tour around the Moon [Musk reportedly arranged](https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45518776) for tourists as early as 2018. The Moon trip has yet to happen.
Kelly said it doesn't really matter who transports civilians to space first.
"I don't look at it as a race who will be flying people in space first, whether it's SpaceX or Blue Origin, I think it'll probably all be around the same time, actually," he said.
Kelly would certainly know better than most.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/former-nasa-astronaut-scott-kelly-discusses-earths-infinite-wonders).
California-based startup Indi EV is gearing up to release its first crossover vehicle incorporating a supercomputer that will allow, among other things, gaming. Andre Hudson, head of design at Indi EV, joined Cheddar to talk about the launch of the Indi One and how the company is distinguishing itself from leaders in the EV space like Tesla. He also talked about the tech behind the Indi One and noted that the car's computer system will enable people to run applications and even create their own. "As a company, we fundamentally saw a major disconnect between how people transition into their cars using the digital devices in their life," Hudson said
Cheddar is looking back at the 12 biggest buzzwords of the year leading up to Christmas. The term for Day 12 is Web3. Definition: (noun) Also known as Web 3.0, a version of the internet where data is decentralized and based on peer-to-peer technologies.
Hyperfine, the pioneer of the very first FDA-approved portable MRI device, made its public debut on the Nasdaq via a SPAC merger. CEO Dave Scott joined Cheddar's "Opening Bell" to discuss the IPO launch, the company's valuation at $580 million, and the impact of its machine called Swoop. "We can roll an MRI system, our MRI Swoop system, right into the room where you are, right up to your patient bedside, and scan you right there and get an image in less than an hour," he explained.
Social media platform TikTok was the most visited website in 2021, topping Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple, according to IT security company Cloudflare.
AdTheorent just the latest company to go public via a SPAC. The company specializes in digital advertising, using AI and machine learning as a tool to move marketing forward. AdTheorent to close its SPAC merger with MCAP Acquisition today and will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol ADTH. CEO Jim Lawson spoke with Cheddar ahead of the move.
Although still early in development, blockchain technology, Web3, also known as Web 3.0 has been getting a lot of attention from some top tech names lately. Web3 is based on blockchain technology, which powers NFT’s and cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. With Web3, users would ideally control their own data, rather than have it be controlled by a few large companies. But, Tesla CEO Elon musk isn't buying into Web3 just yet, tweeting over the weekend that the decentralized iteration of the internet seems more like a marketing "buzzword" right now than reality. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey also chiming in to the conversation, expressing doubt over whether or not Web3 would actually be decentralized if ownership still belonged to venture capital firms. Parker McCurley, co-founder & CEO of Decent Labs explains the significance of Web3 catching the eye of the tech giants, and what Web3 could mean for the future of the internet.
Carlo and Baker cover the heartening news on the Covid front ahead of the holiday, plus President Biden punting student loan repayments again, a new space telescope and Love, Hate, Ate: Christmas Eve Eve Edition!
