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From most people’s perspectives, space law is a fairly niche field. Even more niche are particular sub-fields of space law, such as space human rights law. Despite being so niche, though, one can argue that space human rights law is extremely important. It defines how humans treat each other as they expand into new off-planet environments. It thus fundamentally shapes how humanity engages with space. To learn more about the intersection of human rights and space exploration, we spoke to Jonathan Lim, a solicitor at the law firm WiseLaw. He is also the founder of Jus Ad Astra, a project at WiseLaw that develops legal principles pertaining to space exploration.

What role do human rights play in space exploration?

Human rights are inalienable and universal values that recognize the inherent value of each person. They are based upon the common values of dignity, equality, and respect shared across all cultures, religions, and philosophies. The intersection between human rights and outer space can be viewed through two perspectives.

Amazon isn’t just thinking about delivery with its drones.

The new patent made public this week reveals an idea for a drone-powered towing system designed for skiers, surfers, skaters, and more.

“While there are various known uses for unmanned aerial vehicles, certain techniques for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicles are relatively limiting with respect to other uses,” according to the patent filing, originally filed in June 2016. “For example, current hand-operated remote controls for automated aerial vehicles are not conducive to users being able to operate the remote controls while simultaneously utilizing their hands for other purposes.”

The silk drive is still in the proof-of-concept stage and “unlikely in the foreseeable future to match the speed and storage capacity of state-of-the-art solid-state devices at a competitive cost,” according to Chinese and US researchers, who promised “substantial improvements in the speed and storage capacity of silk drives.”


Scientists at CAS and two separate US universities have jointly developed a storage medium made from silk proteins that can be implanted in the human body.

Anacardic acid, a compound found in cashew nuts, promoted myelin regeneration and eased neuronal damage and disability in two mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS).

These protective effects were associated with maturation of myelin-producing cells and production of IL-33, an immune-related molecule with a neuroreparative role in the central nervous system (CNS, the brain and spinal cord).

The only slight hitch is it costs as much as a brand new Rolls-Royce Phantom, so it’s for millionaires.

We wrote earlier this year that because the demand for electrified classics was on the rise, Lunaz, U.K.-based company that specializes in EV conversions had doubled its workforce to keep up with demand. The company’s first product was a pure-electric 1953 Jaguar XK120, but if that was not opulent enough, it now offers a car that makes a lot of sense on paper: an electric 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V.

In fact, an old electric Roller is about as fitting as an EV converted classic could get, simply because no internal combustion engine can match the blend of smoothness, quietness and power provided by an electric motor. To top it all off, the guys from Lunaz equip their electric Phantom with a really big 120 kWh battery pack that is said to provide enough juice for a range of 300+ miles (480+ km).