Expert: Tom Whiting - 3/23/2008

Question
QUESTION: A person infected with virus sent to space.Is it true that they will be multiplied in number making his health worse.

ANSWER: Hi Sonu,
This is more a medical or biological question, as
space (or location) would have nothing to do with it...a living human
still needs a warm environment, food, water, and oxygen, no matter
where you are....and so does a virus. I mean the virus doesn't know
that it's in space; Actually we're ALL in space ALL THE TIME already, as the Earth moves thru space so we're in space already! (And so are the viruses.}  So, what difference does it make where you are?  Absolutely none. We're all in space, all the time! Already.
And a virus doesn't have "a brain" so it doesn't know where it is
anyway.

So this is more a medical, or biological question....I would pick
a medical allexperts as opposed to a biological one.
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA USA

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: IF THERE IS PRECTICAL USE OF TIME AND SPACE THEORY OF EINSTEIN,THEN WHAT IS IT?  

Answer
Hi Sonu,
Not right of the top of my head, no. We aren't traveling around the Universe at 90% light speed as yet.

BUT,... did the discovery of electricity by Michael Faraday in
the 1700's have any practical use at that time? No.
It did, later.

Other than to fuel some simple oil lamps at the time, did the discovery of oil in 1859 by Col. Edwin Drake in Titusville, Pennsylvania, have any practical use at the time? No.
It did, later.

Did Columbus, in 1492, forsee the emergence of a new Western
Continent of the New World by his sailing and discovery of new
lands beyond the Euro-Asian continent, at the time? No.
It did later.

We in science don't worry about a practical value at the time....
we plan for future events.  We are after the correct and truthful
knowledge of our surroundings, and not just an immediate gratification of new discoveries. If there had to be a stated
practical purpose, we would have never gone to the moon 6 times
from 1969 -1972 with our Apollo Program.  As it turned out, that adventure lead to the miniturizaton of computers, cell phones, microwave ovens, and a listing of over 1000 discoveries or improvements that make yours and my life easier, and safer...weather and communication satellites, for one. So it WAS worth the effort at the time.

Right now, science and medicine are experimenting with genetic manipulation of DNA and chromosomes....the Pope says that's wrong
and sinful...but he's wrong.
Experiments in cloning and other DNA substitutions, while of no practical benefit now, may eventually lead to cures for HIV,
cancer, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Autism, Lupus, and a whole host
of genetic diseases...who knows? We just don't know.  That doesn't
make it wrong, or not worthwhile.

And so it is with Einstein's relativity.  Once space travel becomes
common-place in several hundred years, (or even in several thousand years) it will be nice to know that Einstein lead the way with his discoveries and insight, of space and time.  At the very least, we
won't have to "re-invent" the wheel again, or start all over at
square one, if you know what I mean.

Hope this helps,
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA USA