Page 140 - How It Works - Book Of Amazing Answers To Curious Questions, Volume 05-15

Do astronauts go

through customs when

returning from space?

es, but not simply because they’re returning from
Yspace. Currently astronauts spending time on the
International Space Station must travel to and from the
Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan because they
launch on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. They go through
international customs like everybody else. There are
customs forms filled out for the Apollo 11 astronauts, but

it was for novelty purposes only. It’s likely that the forms
were created as a joke by a Customs Services District
Director in Hawaii (the closest state to the splashdown
location) and later signed using an autopen.

© Portland Development commission; Volvo Why do we

Swinging your arms as you walk
helps to conserve energy

swing our arms

What is solar panel parking? when we walk?

t was originally thought that arm
lectric and hybrid cars are becoming rays and convert the solar energy into Iswinging might help with balance,
E much more of a common sight on the electric energy compatible with the but so far the science has not managed
roads, with many plug-in charging stations automobile, which is fed in via an adaptor to to demonstrate enough evidence to
now visible in car parks and service stations the car’s standard electric charging port. prove that idea. However, there is
around the globe. However, there’s a new However, while this can reduce costs of another possible explanation. Analysis
technology now available that enables these electricity charging at the mains, of oxygen consumption when people
cars to be charged without the need for a photovoltaic panels are not yet effi cient walk and swing their arms reveals that
mains power supply, instead drawing on enough to convert all the solar energy they the swinging motion actually helps to
energy from the Sun. receive into electricity, so several hours of save energy. One study found that when
This system of solar panel parking works solar charge won’t power a car for a long people swung their arms as they
by converting daylight energy into electric period of time. The technology is in its walked, they used up to eight per cent
energy, trickle-charging cars ready for use. infancy, though, and could well provide a less oxygen than when they kept their
Photovoltaic panels mounted to the roof of framework for the future of regenerative- arms by their sides, indicating that their
the parking lot or carport absorb the Sun’s fuelled motoring. muscles were burning less fuel.

140 How It Works