7 Days; 7 Travel Stories

1. Fly Me To the Moon, baby

Young K. Bae, a maverick one-man rocket research institution in Tustin, California, believes he has hit on a propulsion technology that could revolutionize space travel, finally overcoming the limits of chemical rockets, which are slow and dangerous and need vast amounts of fuel. The 51-year-old physicist calls it the photonic laser thruster. He says a laser beam bouncing off two mirrors facing each other was able to exert force on one of the mirrors, albeit ever so slight. The photonic laser thruster can in theory be made much more powerful -- strong enough to propel a spacecraft to near light speed. LA Times

2. How Time Flies

Building a time machine that travels into the future is not science fiction. Dr. Craig Savage, who lectures in relativity and quantum mechanics at the Australian National University, says it is possible for people to travel forward in time but the costs involved are too great. The cost of operating a time traveling machine, in relation to the cost of electricity, would be ten trillion dollars, Dr. Savage estimates. TVNZ.co.nz

3. Germs in Space

Germs sent into orbit on the space shuttle last year came back to Earth three times more virulent, a finding that could have major implications for astronauts on the International Space Station or on proposed voyages to the moon and Mars. Researchers knew that space travel depressed astronauts' immune systems, so the observation that infectious agents can become more pathogenic in space could lead to new sterilization requirements for food and other items, as well as to new protocols for the treatment of infections during missions, experts said. The findings could have relevance for humans on Earth because the bacterium in question is common and can have severe consequences, said Cheryl Nickerson, a microbiologist at Arizona State University, who led the experiment. LA Times

4. Doc Spots

An Australian doctor who charged Malaysian Airlines a fee for rendering services to three passengers while on a flight has sparked a debate whether doctors should charge while on a flight should their services be needed. Acknowledging the doctor’s contribution, the carrier compensated her with a a bag of toiletries and pajamas. The carrier had turned down her request for an upgrade. An airline industry observer says, "the doctor's obligation is to the passenger, not to the airline. If there is any bill to be paid, it should be paid by the patient, just like going to the clinic back on the ground."

5. Air Streams

A report by the UN's tourism, environmental, and weather agencies concludes that climate change within the next 50 years may trigger large changes in tourism habits, and that travel by north Europeans to some popular Mediterranean, Caribbean and North American areas could suffer, as well as to a lesser degree parts of Asia. Travelers from wealthy regions, such as Japan, Europe and the U.S., will be more likely to vacation closer to homes, and in some countries, tourism accounts for as much as 40% of the economy, the report noted.

Separately, tourists from temperate nations that currently dominate international travel would adapt and take advantage of "new climatic opportunities closer to home," according to an advance summary of the report due to be released next month. UN officials underlined that some of the changes could be influenced by indirect impacts of global warming, such as water shortages in popular warm weather resorts that would strain resources shared with the local population or agriculture. Recent opinion polls have also indicated that travelers are increasingly aware of greenhouse gas emissions and possible carbon taxes especially associated with air travel. The Times of India

6. Over Indulgence

Federal employees wasted at least $146 million over a one year period on business or first class air tickets bought in violation of travel policies, congressional investigators said. The review of travel spending covered the July 2005 to June 30, 2006 timeframe. The study found 67 percent of premium class travel by executives or their employees was unauthorized or unjustified. AP

Emirates Airline offers passengers luxury options including private suites that cost as much $12,000 per flight. Emirates and other airlines have noted increased demand for luxury seating on long-haul flights, up by 20% to 25% a year for several years. The carrier has extended its improved amenities to coach class, where passengers are "cradled" in specially designed seats and treated to a 10.6-inch video screen. ABC News/ASTA

7. Just for Fun

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