Word: suit
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 2000-2009
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...anti-spacesuit spacesuit is made of an elastic, skintight material, lightweight enough to allow astronauts to walk, run or even scale mountains on a moon or planet's surface - acts that are physically impossible using NASA's current Tin Man-like designs. The form-fitting style of the new suit doesn't just make for a beguiling photo op; it also keeps astronauts alive by creating what scientists call mechanical counter pressure, which balances out the vacuum pull of space. The spacesuits worn today use gas pressurization - they create a small Earth-like atmosphere inside the suit, which exerts...
...suit creates the same kind of pressurized environment, simply by wrapping layers of specially patterned nylon and Spandex fabric tightly around the body, a method that Newman's been working on for seven years. When the material is properly wrapped, according to maps of the wearer's body in motion, it creates a mobile, skeleton-like shell that protects and supports the astronaut. When the new suits roll out, each one will be tailored to the individual astronaut and slipped on like a snug wetsuit - a "second skin," says Newman. One kink she's still trying to work out: figuring...
Aside from its more appealing profile and wearability, Newman says, the BioSuit will likely be safer for astronauts than the old-style suits. Currently, when an astronaut's suit is punctured, he or she has to go back to the base to undress and decompress. With the new suits, astronauts could simply slap a patch over the tear. The BioSuit also provides a level of resistance that helps the body maintain muscle mass, since astronauts lose about 40% of their brawn during space travel. So, if the suit doesn't end up making it to Mars, researchers say it could...
Conservative Christians, cancer patients, burn victims and senior citizens, among others, have shown surprising interest. Joanne Martinez, 37, of San Clemente, Calif., bought a Hawaiian-print ensemble to stave off chills during late-night dips. Her mother Norma Suarez, 69, got a suit because her medications make her skin sun-sensitive. "We're both hooked," says Martinez. Meanwhile, Kathleen Petroff, 59, of Helendale, Calif., bought her Splashgear suit for a snorkeling trip, after weight gain from multiple-sclerosis treatment made her old suit unappealing. If not for Sabet's design, she says, "I would have missed swimming with the dolphins...
Anne Cole, the designer whose 1997 invention of the tankini was a landmark for conservative swimwear, lauds the reasoning behind the modest suits. "A woman should, above all, find a suit she can feel comfortable and be herself in," she says. But the new swimsuits have drawn criticism from both East and West. "This is like playing a game with Allah," asserted a poster on the website ShiaChat, complaining that the stretchy fabric reveals curves. Zanetti's design has also brought out anti-Muslim sentiment since she's become a high-profile member of the Islamic community. She has been...