TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2014 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 inside The rapidly CAMPUS disappearing • GU-Q women’s basketball team on personal a winning streak computer P | 4 P | 12 MARKETPLACE • Casa Batalha opens boutique at The Mall An Indian expatriate in Qatar has cleared P | 5 the first round of selection process to become an astronaut heading towards RECIPE CONTEST Mars to set up colony there. • Send in your best recipe and win a dinner voucher for two P | 7 FILM • LEGO Movie tops Monuments Men to score huge US box office win P | 8-9 HEALTH • Tweak an exercise routine to stay strong after 50 ONE-WAY TICKET TO P | 12 Learn Arabic • Learn commonly used Arabic words MARS and their meanings P | 13 2 PLUS | TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2014 COVER STORY Qatar resident clears first step for a trip to Mars Artist’s depiction of Mars One astronauts and their colony on the Red Planet. By Pramod Prabhakaran one-way trip to Mars!!! Sounds scary? Crazy? Qatar resident Mubashshir Ahmed has cleared the first round of selection by Mars One for a trip A to Mars in 2025 to set up a human colony there and, according to the list published on Wikipedia, he is the only one from Qatar to make it to the next round. It is not known how many people applied from Qatar. The United States has the maximum number of candidates selected, followed by India, Russia and Australia. The 27-year-old Indian works in Qatar as a cost engineer and has to clear a few more rounds of the selection process before becoming an astronaut heading to Mars. Even though the whole project sounds quixotic, he is very excited to be one among the 1,058 people from around the world to clear the first hurdle. The idea is still in the initial stages and Mars One is con- fident that they will be able to make the impossible possi- ble. Apart from the technological requirements and ethical questions, the fact that the company plans to raise $6bn needed for the mission through crowd sourcing makes it a very daunting project. According to the official website of the Dutch firm, “Mars One is a not-for-profit organisation that will establish a per- manent human settlement on Mars through the integration of existing, readily available technologies from industry lead- ers worldwide.” The private spaceflight project is led by Dutch entrepre- neur Bas Lansdorp, who announced plans for the Mars One mission in May 2012. Mars One’s current concept includes launching four carefully selected applicants in a Mars-bound spaceflight in 2024, to become the first residents of Mars. Every step of the crew’s journey will be documented for a Mubashshir Ahmed reality television programme. PLUS | TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2014 3 Artists depiction of Mars One habitat living room The board members are all from give it a try. Even if it was a scam I “Who would possibly want to come various space research centres and uni- would have something new to discuss back without completing the task? The versities, including NASA Astrobiology and crack some jokes about. After reg- Ahmed’s parents, task is so huge that it will take genera- Institute, German Aerospace Center istering, there was no communication tions to complete. The aim is to find and Concordia University, Montreal. from them other than some fundrais- who are in India, evidence of life, to explore the planet The Indian expat joined the contest ing emails asking me to buy Mars One are not aware that and to set up living quarters, and this on a whim. “To be honest, I was not very T-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers etc., for will take generations. serious when I applied. One day I saw eight months,” said Ahmed. their only son has “We will be busy doing scientific an online ad saying “Applicants wanted After the long wait came an email cleared the initial experiments. There are lots of risks for the one-way trip to Mars”. When saying: “Dear Mr Mubashshir Ahmed, involved, but it will be fun as well. I I began to register, it asked for $38. I you and only 1,057 other aspiring astro- hurdle for a journey came to terms with the risk by tell- thought this must be some hoax and quit nauts around the globe have been pre- ing myself that if you are not going, the process. But it left many questions selected as potential candidates to with no return. someone else will do it. First I was not in my mind, like what if launch the dawn of a new era – human serious… Mars One took me seriously they are really life on Mars. Congratulations. You have and now I am serious as well. If I am serious, what if made it to the next round.” Round four will be an international not going, someone else will go, so why humans make it…. The email urged him to create event broadcast worldwide, and by not try? It’s okay if I try and fail, but Finally, I made awareness about the mission. It read: 2015, six to ten teams of four each will it’s not okay if I fail to try. up my mind to “You are now a key part of the group of selected for seven years of full-time “Why not be a part of something people around the world we’re count- training. that will completely redefine science. ing on, and helping generate interest Ahmed is not bothered that they are At the moment we don’t have any pos- and funding in the Mars One mission offering a one-way ticket, but it has sible ways to come back, but I hope There are lots of is your first assignment. Among other kicked off debates in scientific circles that this will not be forever; we will risks involved, but it criteria, finalists for the mission will be about ethical standards in treatment find a way to make it a round trip judged on their ability to be evangelists of human subjects in scientific experi- sooner rather than later. Nasa is plan- will be fun as well. for this project.” ments. There are treaties and laws ning a human mission to Mars by 2030 I came to terms Ahmed is optimistic about the fun- governing the treatment of humans in and it will be a two-way trip, so tech- draising and is getting ready for round scientific projects and Mar One offi- nology will evolve,” said the aspiring with the risk by two, which consists of a medical assess- cials have said they will look into this astronaut. telling myself that if ment and a personal interview with the at a later date. Ahmed’s parents, who are in India, Mars One committee. In January, former German astro- are not aware that their only son has you are not going, Round three will be a region-wise naut Ulrich Walter strongly criti- cleared the initial hurdle for a journey someone else will competition. A group of 20-40 applicants cised the project on ethical grounds. with no return. “I have not informed have to participate in reality TV like chal- Speaking to Berlin’s Tagesspiegel, he my family yet. I will explain the whole do it. lenges. One person from every region will estimated the probability of reach- thing to them face to face when I meet be selected by an audience poll. ing Mars alive at just 30 percent, and them during my holidays. Though I am that of surviving there more than the only son, my parents have always three months at less than 20 percent. supported me in my decisions and He said, “They make their money with encouraged me to fulfill my dreams,” that [TV] show. They don’t care what Ahmed said. happens to those people in space... If It remains to be seen if the project my tax money were used for such a is able to raise $6bn through crowd mission, I would organise a protest.” sourcing, develop the necessary tech- Ahmed is certain technology will nologies and, finally, if Ahmed goes evolve and the problems involved will through the next rounds. be overcome by the time the Mars- If all this happens and a colony is bound spacecraft takes off. Anyway, set up on Mars, we might have a new he says, the aim of the trip is “to set place to visit during summer holidays. up colony there, and it will take a long (Ahmed’s Twitter handle is @rationalspy) time”. The Peninsula 4 PLUS | TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2014 CAMPUS GU-Q women’s basketball team on a winning streak he Georgetown University in foundation for us this year,” Snell Qatar (GU-Q) Hoyas women’s explained. “This gave us an edge. Plus, Tbasketball team won the wom- we had one of the toughest defenses. I en’s championship in the Hamad Bin think that helped us win.” Khalifa University (HBKU) Basketball After the HBKU tournament, Tournament for this academic year. the women's team was able to meet Playing in the HBKU Student Center, Georgetown alumnus, board member, the Hoyas emerged victorious over Weill and NBA executive Alonzo Mourning, Cornell in Qatar Big Red Bears women’s who said how proud and impressed he team with a final score of 35-20. was with the women's play and for rep- Hoyas women’s basketball coach resenting Georgetown well.