Striving ever on

We look to the stars more than once in this issue. First, for inspiration. On page 28 journalist Boštjan Videmšek and photographer Matjaž Krivic take a closer look at the world’s biggest nuclear fusion experiment. Situated in the south of France, the ITER project seeks to replicate the process of fusion taking place in the stars to prove that it could provide mankind with unlimited, sustainable energy. The people they meet at ITER know that what they are doing could be momentous, though of course, lofty sentiment and honourable intentions can always come a cropper in the face of budgetary restraints and admin. When it comes to fusion we don’t yet know if the science will work; we don’t yet know if the economics will work – but those at ITER won’t stop trying.

Then on page 36 Christoph Otto takes a trip he’s long dreamed off, to follow in the footsteps of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagrin, who became the first man in space 60 years ago this month. He finds a legacy firmly in place as Gagarin’s modern counterparts still recreate their hero’s actions and even travel to drink from the well at his first ever house.

Elsewhere we have our feet firmly on the ground, or even under it. On page 44 Tommy Trenchard takes a trip to the UK’s stunning Jurassic Coast where Mesozoic fossils are carved from the cliffs and lie in wait underfoot, inspiring the next generation of palaeontologists determined to uncover the secrets of our past. From the stars to the soil it seems we humans are an ingenious and curious bunch. When harnessed correctly, these admirable qualities can lead to speculator results.