[Paleopsych] THE COSMIC STATEMENTS IN THE HOLY QURAN AS INTRODUCTION TO THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SPACE SCIENCE IN THE ISLAMIC COUNTRIES

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Wait for the next message from me. Ponder whether passages in the Koran 
will be found supportive of embryo selection and other forms of eugenics.

THE COSMIC STATEMENTS IN THE HOLY QURAN AS INTRODUCTION TO THE PUBLIC
UNDERSTANDING OF SPACE SCIENCE IN THE ISLAMIC COUNTRIES

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 10:43:45 +0100
From: Amara Graps <amara at amara.com>
To: wta-talk at transhumanism.org
Subject: Re: [wta-talk] Re: Religion vs truth

Kelly Ramsey
> Of course any spiritual belief is open to dispute, but emptied of
> connection to measurable phenomena it's no longer a subject for scientific
> inquiry. Philosophy, logic, and one's personal tastes and cultural residue
> would then come into play, but such debates strike me as done to death and
> beyond the scope of this list
> [...] Why should we care what the Koran implies about space colonization?

Why ??!

Because billions of people on the planet that we share, read the Koran.
That is a large population on this mudball to tap into, that is,
to plant some seeds for growth.

The following little gem jumped out at me when I was skimming through
the abstract book last Monday.

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COSPAR,  July 18-24 :
http://www.copernicus.org/COSPAR/COSPAR.html

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Friday 23 July 2004
Special Session 1: The Public Understanding of Space Science

9:50   1-0003-04
M.A. Mosalam Shaltout

THE COSMIC STATEMENTS IN THE HOLY QURAN AS INTRODUCTION TO THE PUBLIC
UNDERSTANDING OF SPACE SCIENCE IN THE ISLAMIC COUNTRIES

Space Research Center, Desert Environment Research Institute,
Menoufiyia University, El-Sadat City, Egypt. (mamshaltout at frcu.eun.eg,
Fax : +2 (048) 600404)

Abstract
The Holy Quran contains more than 800 cosmic statements speak about:
sun, moon, planets, stars, Sirius, zodiac, day, night, twilights,
position of stars, navigation, blue sky, night sky, dawn, noon,
sunrise and sunset, eclipses, lunar months, release to the sky,
landing to the earth, and so on. Due to the new discoveries in the
19th and 20th centuries in astronomy and space sciences, some of the
Arabian-Islamic scientists and astronomers wished to find the
significance of the cosmic statements in the Holy Quran on the light
of these new discoveries. This current started at the end of the 19th
century, and was growing through the 20th century. Hundreds of the
articles published in the Daily news, and in the Weekly, Monthly,
Quarterly, Annually Journals. Also, tens of the books published for
different authors, from different Arabian and Islamic countries about
the significance of the cosmic statements in the Holy Quran on the
light of modern astronomy and Space sciences. Also, Radio and TV play
an important role in this field, specially after the releasing of the
Human kind to the space in the second half of the 20th century. This
activity led to construct the International Commission on Scientific
Signs in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah, which follow to the Muslim
World League in Makkah Al-Mukarramah in Saudi Arabia. Where, there is
a Quarterly Journal for this purpose, and periodic International
conference for the same purpose, the seventh conference was held in
February 2004. This paper speak about the activity of the different
Arabian-Islamic Scientists and Astronomers in the field of
interpretations of the cosmic statements in the Holy Quran on the
light of modern astronomy and space science, and their role of
increasing the public understanding of space science in the Arabian
and Islamic countries.

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I didn't plan to go to his talk because it was too close to the
time of my own talk. However, after the conference, with CD in hand
and searching on his name, I found more presentations by him
(he was involved with seven presentations.. he is a solar physicist
it seems). He is promoting space science in Egypt.  If he wants to
use the Koran to support that effort, that is, to teach astronomy
to the public using his modern interpretations of an old book, then
kudos to him. We (humans on this planet) could use some different
perspectives and more compassion when dealing with people in the
middle east. I copy the most relevant abstracts, to our discussion,
in the following  (I wish a better English speaker proofed his
abstracts before he submitted these though.. :-( )
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SPACE MISSIONS IN THE ARAB COUNTRIES
M. A. Mosalam Shaltout
Space Research Center, Desert Environment Research Institute,
Menoufiyia University, El-Sadat City, Egypt. (mamshaltout at frcu.eun.eg,
Fax : +2 (048) 600404)

Since about twenty years ago, artificial satellites for the Arab
countries, were man-ufactured and released by developed countries for
TV and communication purposes such as Arabsat, Nilesat, and Soryia.
But with the starting of the 21st century, there are few space
missions developed by Arab Countries in Cooperation with International
Partners, in Alger, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Where:

1. The National Administration of Space Science and Technology in
Alger devel-oped two Experimental Space Missions released at November
2002 (AlgerSat-1), and November 2003 (AlgerSat-2). The program is
still continuous for developing more space missions with High
Technology for different purposes.

2. Space Research Institute in King Abd-Alaziz city for science and
Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia developed three space missions in
collaboration with international partners, where the three missions
are released for different purposes.

3. The National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences
(NARSS) in Cairo-Egypt developed in cooperation with Ukraine a mission
Egyptsat-1, by total price 30 million US$, for the purpose of studding
the desert geology and Environment. It will be released at October
2004. The program will be continued for developing more space mission
by high technology.

This paper describe in detail Arabian three programs for the three
Arabian countries (Alger, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt), and will discuss
on what we can expect for the future, focussing on international
cooperation in the field of space science and technology.

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SPACE SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS IN MINOUFIYIA
UNIVERSITY, EGYPT
M. A. Mosalam Shaltout
Space Research Center, Desert Environment Research Institute,
Menoufiyia University, El-Sadat City, Egypt. (mamshaltout at frcu.eun.eg,
Fax : +2 (048) 600404)

In 1986 the author with his colleagues in the Physics Department,
Faculty of Science, Minoufiyia University, Minoufiyia, Egypt created
a new branch in the physics department, to award the M.Sc. and Ph.D.
degree in Atmospheric physics. Courses in solar, solar-terrestrial,
and atmospheric physics were necessary for M.Sc. and Ph.D. students,
because they not studded it before in the undergraduate level. Till
now, seven students obtained on M.Sc. degree, and two students
obtained on Ph.D. from the Physics Department of Minoufiya University
in Solar, Solar-Terrestrial, and Space Physics, and there are one Ph.D
and two M.Sc. under the awarding. This current extend to other six
Egyptian Universities (Cairo, Ain Shams, Helwan, Alexandria, Mansoura,
and Minua), where five students obtained on Ph.D degree, and thirteen
students obtained on M.Sc. in Solar, Solar-terrestrial, and Space
Physics from the six universities under the supervision of the author.

In April 2002 the author succeeded to obtain on the agreement of the
Minoufiyia University Council by construction Space Research Center,
as a first center for space research in the Egyptian Universities (20
Universities), as a part from the Desert Environment Research
Institute for temporal time, then after the growth, it will be
independent center. Beside the research work in space science and
technology, the center have the validity to award Diploma, M.Sc and
Ph.D. in space science for postgraduate students. There are different
courses in space science and technology for each level of the three
degrees.

According to the program of the European Mediterranean Countries
(TEMPS III) for developing the higher education level, the center
constructed a project for developing space science and technology
education in the center in collaboration with European Universities
and Space Research Centers. This paper explain in detail the
experience in Space Science Education in Minoufiya University, and how
expand it to the other universities in Egypt.


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THE WAY FORWARD IN CAPACITY BUILDING IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: SPACE
RESEARCH CENTER AT MINOUFIYIA UNIVERSITY, EGYPT, AS CASE STUDY
M. A. Mosalam SHALTOUT
Space Research Center, Desert Environment Research Institute,
Menoufiyia University, El-Sadat City, Egypt. (mamshaltout at frcu.eun.eg,
Fax : +2 (048) 600404)

With the starting the year 2002 the Menoufiyia University Council
taked an Issue by construction Space Research Center, as a first
Center for Space Research in the Egyp-tian Universities (20
Universities), as a part from the Desert Environment Research
Institute for temporal time, then after the growth, it will be
independent center. The green area of Egypt (Nile Valley and Delta)
are 4% only from the total area of Egypt, the remain 96% is desert
area. The most useful thing is to study the desert from space. For
that the suggested projects to be performed in this new center are:

1. Monitoring the storage tanks of the underground water in the
Egyptian Desert (Sahara) by artificial satellites as GRACE of NASA
and DLR.

2. Building 32 meter Radio telescope at Abu-Simbel in the South of
Egypt as part of the European VLBI network (EVN) to cover the gap
between the radio telescope in the western Europe and the radio
telescope at Hartebessthock in South Africa. The cooperation of
International interested institutions is being explored for this
important project of Egypt.

3. Solar activity and the climatic changes through the 21st century as
clarified by global solar radiation data at Khargha Oases at the
western desert of Egypt.

4. Testing of the Martian exploration instruments for 2005 space trips
to Mars in the western desert of Egypt, as it is the driest area in
the world, where are similarity between the dry atmosphere of Sahara
and the atmosphere of Mars, also in the soil, and dry valleys. In
collaboration with NASA and ESA.

5. Studding the eastern structure, due to meteoric impact in the
western desert of Egypt since 28 Million years. Also, studding the
meteors chemistry, for meteors found in the Egyptian desert, and the
origin of life as meteor (Nachlet) in collaboration with NASA and ESA.

6. Solar energy and humidity distribution over Sahara from artificial
Satellite Meteo-stat observations.

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COSPAR was a very intense conference; just imagine what has happened
in space science in the last two years (COSPAR is every 2 years). Six
very full days, parallel sessions, sometimes painfully poor scheduling
with the same topic being simultaneously presented in two different
rooms. Cassini, Stardust, Smart-1, Japanese missions, there is so much
good data now!

In the middle of the talks that I needed to know about for my work,
I made a point to go to the following talk and it was a blast! So
optimistic... I will try to write more on this next talk soon.

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SPACE TOURISM: FROM EARTH ORBIT TO THE MOON
P. Collins
Azabu University (patrick.collins at spacefuture.com/Fax: (81)
42769-2319)

Travel to and from the lunar surface has been known to be feasible
since it was first achieved 34 years ago. Since that time there has
been enormous progress in related engineering fields such as rocket
propulsion, materials and avionics, and about $1 billion has been
spent on lunar science and engineering research. Consequently there
are no fundamental technical problems facing the development of lunar
tourism - only business and investment problems. The outstanding
problem is to reduce the cost of launch to low Earth orbit.

Recently there has been major progress towards overturning the myth
that launch costs are high because of physical limits. Several "X
Prize" competitor vehicles currently in test-flight are expected to be
able to perform sub-orbital flights at approximately 1/1,000 of the
cost of Alan Shepard's similar flight in 1961. This activity could
have started 30 years ago if space agencies had had economic rather
than political objectives. A further encouraging factor is that the
demand for space tourism seems potentially limitless. Starting with
sub-orbital flights and growing through orbital activities, travel to
the Moon will offer further unique attractions. In every human culture
there is immense interest in the Moon arising from millennia of myths.
In addition, bird-like flying sports, first described by Robert
Heinlein, will become another powerful demand factor. Roundtrips of 1
to 2 weeks are very convenient for travel companies; and the radiation
environment will permit visitors several days of surface activity
without significant health risks.

The paper also discusses economic aspects of lunar tourism, including
the benefits it will have for those on Earth. Lunar economic
development based on tourism will have much in common with economic
development on Earth based on tourism: starting from the fact that
many people spontaneously wish to visit popular places, companies in
the tourism industry invest to sell a growing range of services to
ever more customers, thereby creating a major new hubs of economic
activity and wealth. In the same way as trade with the "New World"
enriched the "Old World" of Europe as well as emigrants themselves,
the contribution of tourism to the economic development of the Moon
will also create wealth on Earth, and open numerous opportunities for
innovation.
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Amara

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Amara Graps, PhD          email: amara at amara.com
Computational Physics     vita:  ftp://ftp.amara.com/pub/resume.txt
Multiplex Answers         URL:   http://www.amara.com/
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"It's not the pace of life I mind. It's the sudden stop at the end."
--Calvin