Who Makes the Rules in Space? Cosmic Counsel
The phrase “space lawyer” may conjure images of an intergalactic courtroom setting in a “Star Trek” film, but the term and profession are rooted in reality here on Earth. Simply put, space lawyers are legal professionals specializing in international law and drafting agreements between countries regarding their activities throughout our galaxy. Instead of brokering peace treaties between humans and Klingons, these attorneys work to establish policies that outline rules and obligations nations must follow when conducting themselves beyond our clouds. For example, treaties negotiated by space lawyers were instrumental in getting the Soviet Union to spend millions to clean up radioactive debris deposited over northern Canada by its Cosmos 954 satellite in the late 1970s. Utilizing Article 7 of the Outer Space Treaty (via the 1972 Space Liability Convention), the Canadian government argued that the Soviet Union was on the
hook to cover the majority of the cost of Operation Morning Light, an extensive cleanup operation by the U.S. and Canada to remove nearly 50,000 square miles of hazardous material dropped from space. Thanks to space lawyers, no nation can claim ownership of Earth (or any other planet), the moon, or any other entity discovered in the galaxy. However, recent debates have raised an intriguing question: Who would own the resources derived from the moon or another planet? If Russia were to one day discover a life-saving nutrient on the moon’s surface, would it have the right to claim exclusive ownership of this medical marvel? Would this discovery need to be shared with other nations involved in space-related treaties? While it may take years (or the invention of a good time-traveling warp drive) for us to resolve these questions, it’s clear we need space lawyers to tackle these and other questions in a legal frontier that no Earth-bound lawyer has pondered before!
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
Rustic French Pistachio Cake
Ingredients
Inspired by TheViewFromGreatIsland.com
• 2 cups heavy cream, cold • 1 1/2 cups (minus 1 tbsp) all- purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar • 1 tbsp vanilla paste • 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped, plus extra for topping • Powdered sugar for dusting
• 2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt • 3 large eggs
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F, then butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. 2. Whip cold cream until it forms firm peaks, then refrigerate. 3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside. 4. Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. 5. Fold pistachios and flour mixture into egg mixture. 6. Gently fold cream into the batter until no streaks remain. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. 7. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until puffed and golden on top. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan. 8. Dust with powdered sugar and top with pistachios. Serve warm or at room temperature!
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