(Amended) Wash. Post: A science writer looks at Mir and finds Chile’s trapped miners
While everybody is worried about and riveted to news from Chile on its 33 miners trapped deep in a gold and copper mine, at least one science writer found a distinctive angle on their chances of getting through the experience psychologically. The Washington Post‘s Marc Kaufman got hold of an astronaut who went through his own version of isolation while in plain sight of – or, at least, plain communication with – the outside world.
AMENDMENT – Woops. Just learned,thanks to sources at AP, that the service’s Seth Borenstein wrote this angle last week, too, and first.
His interview comes as several other agencies (BBC, AFP) report without much elaboration that Chile has called on NASA for advice. Kaufman provides the reason why a space agency would be called in.
A few other enterprising stories on the miners and their psychological challenges:
- Denver Post – Joey Bunch: Colorado mining experts say Chilean rescue effort unique ; Submarine experts are on call, too, he reports. And, we learn a bit more about alternative routes to and from most places in modern mines – but maybe not in Chile.
- Voice of America – Michael Bowman: Trapped Chilean Miners Face Psychological, Physical Challenges ;
- CNN – Emanuella Grinberg: Survivors of mine disasters say hope, Kenny Rogers kept them going ;
- Charlie Petit
