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LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

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Re: LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

#31

Post by AtlasBarfed »

dxbydt wrote: post #4

There's a flurry on new info. In particular the variance of surface temperature at the lunar south pole, from 60 degree Celsius on the lunar surface, to -10 degree Celsius if you probe just 8cm below the surface https://nitter.net/pic/orig/media%2FF4hsyEQaEAAB-AS.png A whole seventy degree temperature difference over such a small height delta. There were a bunch of scientists trying to explain this on Indian news TV…

Totally tangential: Did you see the Indian 4x400m relay team made the world finals, but in qualifying, dared to try to pass the US team on the final leg? India has never had a particularly good track and field team, but allegedly they are encouraging running and fitness more there.

For those that don't know, the US 4x400m relay team in track and field is about the most dominant thing ever. If they don't drop the stick, it is assumed they are going to win. Even the qualifier team virtually always wins the heats. So an unknown like India having the temerity to try to take the lead against the US team is a huge shot across the bow.

It seemed significant for other reasons. First, based on very light googling and looking at names, the team was of mixed religion with two Muslims (two guys with Muhammed first names) and two Hindi-seeming names. They seemed to genuinely like each other and support each other. That might have progressive steps for the long standing religious conflicts in India, that a mixed religion team came together for a historic moment in Indian athletics.

Second, track might be a very interesting sport for "echoes of caste system" India (there was just a Caste news on HN a day ago so it's still obviously somewhat important). Unlike any team sport with selection, in track, if you are faster, well .... you're faster. Doesn't matter the race / religion / caste / connections, if you can run a 50 second 400m and the other guy runs a 53, it is VERY apparent who wins or should be selected for a team. Track and fitness in general is a kind of class-smasher in that regard, and could be a harbinger of big (positive) social change.

But maybe I'm reading a bit too much into a small sample.

Also, an Indian won the Javelin throw, beat a Pakistani who got silver, and there were two other Indians in the top six.

Re: LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

#32

Post by fooker »

zardo wrote: post #17
pavel_lishin wrote: post #7

> ISRO announced the rover’s LIBS results definitively confirm the presence of sulfur at the landing site. Additionally, preliminary scans detect traces of aluminum, iron, calcium, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon, and oxygen in the soil. Further hydrogen detection efforts are underway. What about hydrogen? No hydrogen means no water where they're currently landed, right?

They certainly won't find water on a 60C surface.

Why not?

Plenty of 60C water on the earth's surface.

Re: LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

#33

Post by Ajedi32 »

fooker wrote: post #32
zardo wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They certainly won't find water on a 60C surface.

Why not? Plenty of 60C water on the earth's surface.

The moon doesn't have an atmosphere. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_diagram#/media/File:Phas...

Re: LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

#34

Post by fsloth »

morbidious wrote: post #27

[flagged]

Objectively speaking if they left years ago there is chance they are describing the actual availability of toilets as this was really low in some states (some states with under 20% having access to toilets) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_states_ranking_by_ava...

Afaik dealing with the shit was left to dalits, leading to their outcast status. So if one was a dalit in low-toilet-availability areas then ’shithole’ is actually a really accurate depiction of their objective experience and not a derigatory expression.

Re: LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

#35

Post by Jeff_Brown »

0xDEF wrote: post #24

It also found a a remarkable temperature gradient on the South Pole's surface. Even if the surface temperature is 60+ degree Celsius just 8 cm below the surface the temperature is -10 degree Celsius. (South Pole) Moon dust is a really good insulator.

That (60 C) is far hotter than I would have guessed. I realize the moon doesn't have an atmosphere, but at the south pole the light should be tangent to the surface. Is the probe not actually at -90 degrees latitude, and was this measurement taken at noon?

Re: LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

#36

Post by vaidhy »

haltingproblem wrote: post #18
vaidhy wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do not think that is what the author intended - "You want your home country to do well but at the same time you are hyperaware of its numerous deficiencies." I am aware of the deficiencies, but also very aware of the progress being made. There is no magic wand to wave to make people not be like people and change a vast, diverse population into something they are not.

So what you are saying is that the numerous deficiencies are *intrinsic* to India (and Indians) by extension and will never go away? Is is about their DNA (nature) or their culture (nurture)? What is about "a vast, diverse population into something they are not" ? Are you saying India can not be a middle-ish income country like China/Thailand/Malyasia etc. I would like to believe that wise choices by the electorate a…

No.. I am saying deficiencies are intrinsic to humans. India has made some choices between being a socialist, democratic country and it comes with its own pros and cons.

India has a very vibrant local economy which does not show up in nominal GDP. By GDP by PPP, India is the third largest economy in the world (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)). I consider India to be a solid middle income country, not any less that other countries you are talking about.

I am actually fairly proud of the changes I see in India in the last 20 years. I Some of the key changes I have seen (by no means complete): 1. Improvement in road transport with a nationwide single toll provider. 2. Indian railways has always been there as an affordable means of transport. 3. Getting a passport is now a couple of days and less than 24 hours with tatkal. 4. Healthcare is free for all. Yes, it varies from state to state, but government hospitals are available for everyone. Even otherwise, it is affordable. 5. Air travel went from just for the rich to middle class. 6. Government and publicly funded schools are reasonably good (The project director for Chandrayaan 3 came from a government school).

And yes, I am also very aware of the issues - political class abuses the power to enrich themselves. Different states have different development indices. But perfection is not needed for improvements.

Re: LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

#37

Post by dang »

haltingproblem wrote: post #12

[flagged]

We detached this flamewar subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37338000.

Please don't take HN threads into political, nationalistic, or ideological flamewar, or any other flamewar. We ban accounts that keep doing this, and we've had to ask you more than once before, so please stop.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

#38

Post by haltingproblem »

vaidhy wrote: post #36
haltingproblem wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So what you are saying is that the numerous deficiencies are *intrinsic* to India (and Indians) by extension and will never go away? Is is about their DNA (nature) or their culture (nurture)? What is about "a vast, diverse population into something they are not" ? Are you saying India can not be a middle-ish income country like China/Thailand/Malyasia etc. I would like to believe that wise choices by the electorate a…

No.. I am saying deficiencies are intrinsic to humans. India has made some choices between being a socialist, democratic country and it comes with its own pros and cons. India has a very vibrant local economy which does not show up in nominal GDP. By GDP by PPP, India is the third largest economy in the world ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP) ). I consider India to be a solid middle incom…

Ah, you are not saying what I thought you were saying, actually the opposite.

Thank you for the clarification

Re: LIBS confirms the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface

#39

Post by morbidious »

fsloth wrote: post #34
morbidious wrote: post #27

[flagged]

Objectively speaking if they left years ago there is chance they are describing the actual availability of toilets as this was really low in some states (some states with under 20% having access to toilets) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_states_ranking_by_ava... Afaik dealing with the shit was left to dalits, leading to their outcast status. So if one was a dalit in low-toilet-availability areas then ’shithol…

If what you say is true, it was the colonizers who left us in such a state.

Glad those barbarians left us.

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