An adventurer who was trying to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Britain in a home-made hamster wheel has been arrested.

Reza Baluchi, 51, was detained 70 nautical miles into his journey off Tybee Island, Georgia, after a three-day standoff with US coastguards.

The Iranian national, who lives in Florida, was attempting to make the 5000 nautical mile journey on a human-powered vessel that is in the shape of a hamster wheel. 

The contraption consists of a metal drum, with paddle wheels on either side which are buoyant, theoretically allowing him to run across the waves. 

On August 26 the USS Coast Guard cutter Valiant intercepted him at sea before he allegedly threatened anyone attempting to arrest gum that he would take his own life with a 12-inch knife and that he had a bomb onboard his vessel, according to Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

After two days Baluchi finally admitted that there was no bomb on his hamster wheel and another day later he joined officers on their boat. 

He was brought ashore on September 1 and faces federal charges of obstruction of a boarding and violation of a Captain of the Port order.

‘Based on the condition of the vessel – which was afloat as a result of wiring and buoys – USCG officers determined Baluchi was conducting a manifestly unsafe voyage,’ the criminal complaint filed in US District Court in Florida stated.

It is not the first time Baluchi has attempted to use the hamster wheel to travel across the ocean.

In July 2021 he tried to travel from Miami to New York City for charity but was washed ashore on a Florida beach not far from where he set off.

Deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene at a beach in Hammock, near Miami, after concerned residents reported seeing the unusual cylindrical vessel.

When they arrived, they said, they found Baluchi safe inside without any injuries.

Baluchi reportedly told the authorities he was trying to run in the floating vessel from Florida to New York to raise money for charity but ‘came across some complications that brought him back to shore,’ the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office explained in a Facebook post following the rescue.

‘My goal is not only raise money for homeless people, raise money for the Coast Guard, raise money for the police department, raise money for the fire department,’ Baluchi told FOX 35 News. 

‘They are in public service, they do it for safety and they help other people.’

He reportedly carries around a GPS with him on each of his treks, so family and friends know where he is at all times, and carries enough food and water to keep him safe and can ‘survive anywhere for days and weeks,’ his friend, Gina Laspina told the local news channel. 

But this is far from the first time Baluchi had to be rescued from one of his floating vessels, which he calls a ‘bubble’.

Baluchi had to be rescued from a ‘hydro-bubble’ near Saint Augustine in 2014 when he had attempted to journey 3,000 miles from Florida to Bermuda. 

And in 2016 he had to be rescued off the coast of Jupiter. Miami Coast Guard spent 12 hours trying to coax him out of his homemade inflatable bubble after already warning him not to attempt a ‘life-threatening’ 3,500 mile ocean journey.

Ahead of that trip, Baluchi had been given a written warning by the Coast Guard not to attempt the five month trip from Pompano Beach, Florida, bound for Bermuda via the Caribbean. Officials said it was too dangerous, and put him and other sailors at risk.

A dead British-built satellite is set to plummet to Earth later with the help of a never-before-tried manoeuvre to bring it down safely.

Mission controllers have embarked on a daring and unprecedented attempt to steer the 1.3-tonne Aeolus probe into a position that will see it crash harmlessly into the Atlantic Ocean.

The weather-monitoring satellite was not designed for a controlled re-entry at the end of its mission, but the European Space Agency (ESA) wants to use what little fuel remains onboard to guide it towards a remote part of the planet. 

Although much of the car-sized satellite will burn up in the atmosphere, about 20 per cent of the debris is expected to reach the surface later today, where it will sink into a watery grave.

ESA’s ambitious plan is the first manoeuvre of its kind.

The aim is to gather data for future satellite re-entries so that other spacefaring nations and private companies can use similar methods to safely steer down dead spacecraft and minimise the already low risk of them landing in populated areas. 

‘This assisted reentry attempt goes above and beyond safety regulations for the mission, which was planned and designed in the late 1990s,’ said Tim Flohrer, head of ESA’s Space Debris Office. 

‘Once ESA and industrial partners found that it might be possible to further reduce the already minimal risk to life or infrastructure even further, the wheels were set in motion. 

‘Should all go to plan, Aeolus would be in line with current safety regulations for missions being designed today.’ 

Aeolus, which was built by British engineers at Airbus, has been orbiting Earth at an altitude of 200 miles (320km) for five years.

Launched in 2018 to measure wind in the atmosphere to improve weather forecasts, it fired a laser down towards our planet to track the movement of air every location and altitude worldwide.

It did this by collecting the scattering of light that reflects back from dust, gas and droplets of water moving in wind. 

The speed at which various markers, and the winds that carry them, are moving were then revealed by changes in the wavelength of the light.

However, after successfully completely its mission Aeolus’s fuel is almost spent.

The satellite has been falling from its operational altitude of 198 miles (320km) since June 19 and is now being dragged towards re-entry by gravity and the Earth’s atmosphere. 

When it reached an altitude of 174 miles (280km) on Monday, mission controllers in Germany began a series of manoeuvres to steer it to a lower orbit.

At first it was brought down to 155 miles (250km), then down to 142 miles (230km) as the week has gone on.

Officials ultimately want to get it to an orbit of 75 miles (120km) and on a trajectory to fall into the Atlantic about five hours later.  

ESA said it was impossible to give an exact timing for Aeolus’s re-entry.

Angus Stewart, head of space surveillance and tracking at the UK Space Agency, said: ‘Aeolus is a great example of the power of space to benefit us on Earth, with the UK-built spacecraft providing valuable data to leading weather centres across Europe since 2018, significantly improving global forecasts.

‘But with more than 8,000 operational satellites and more than 30,000 pieces of trackable debris, the ability to operate safely in space is growing increasingly challenging. 

‘We must protect the environment in which satellites operate and keep space open for future generations, and it’s great to see ESA carrying out this assisted re-entry – the first of its kind.

“The UK Space Agency operates the UK’s re-entry warning service and has tasked our UK sensors to observe the re-entry. 

‘These observations have been sent to ESA and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) to support the re-entry analysis.’

Popcorn at the ready. 

Travel experts have pitted two British titans of transatlantic travel against each other in a fascinating battle of the business classes.

The Points Guy travel site filmed its experiences in Virgin Atlantic’s upper-class ‘Retreat Suite‘ – which can be configured to form a quad socialising area with the adjacent seat – and BA’s ‘Club Suite’ on flights from London to JFK.

The reviewers enjoyed, among other things, ‘sexy fun and a giant entertainment screen’ on the former and ‘delicious food’ on the latter. But there were downsides on both flights. 

Below are the verdicts and the trailer for the full review video.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC UPPER CLASS

Putting the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Retreat Suite to the test was Points Guy Editor Nicky Kelvin, with his ticket between Heathrow Terminal 3 and New York’s JFK on an Airbus A330-900neo costing 47,500 Virgin Points plus £627 in taxes and fees.

There were plenty of ‘ups’ for his flight.

He told MailOnline Travel: ‘The Virgin Atlantic ground experience at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 is second to none for a business-class ticket. The exclusive “Upper Class Wing” is a private, efficient and unique way to arrive at the airport. Private security and a world-class lounge, up there with some first-class lounges complete the ground experience.’

He continued: ‘The regular Upper Class Suites on this aircraft are very comfortable and spacious, but the Retreat Suite is particularly huge, comfortable and private, especially for sleeping and the inflight entertainment screen is giant.

‘There are welcome extras on board like pyjamas that are available on request and “the Loft” is a fun social space with drinks and ice creams at the back of the cabin.’

He added: ‘Virgin provides a service that mixes incredible professionalism with a cheeky, sexy fun that you won’t find elsewhere.’

And the downs? Nicky revealed there were a few.

He said: ‘The boarding process does not match the exclusivity of what comes before it on the ground. And it’s not possible to have the biggest and best seat (the Retreat Suite) as a window seat. There are also only two seats in the cabin, so you may need to be lucky to sit there, and you’ll have to pay extra for the privilege.

‘Plus, while the food and drink is plentiful and tasty, the food is less refined than you might find on other business class products.’

BRITISH AIRWAYS CLUB SUITE

Putting the British Airways’ Club World business-class ‘Club Suite’ to the test on a 777-200 flight from Heathrow to JFK was Liam Spencer, with his ticket costing 80,000 Avios plus £175 taxes and fees.

What were the positives of his flight with the national flag carrier?

He told MailOnline Travel: ‘The real winner on this flight was the food. From fresh smoked salmon and asparagus to braised leg of lamb, each mouthful was more delicious than the last. Don’t forget to check-out the extensive cocktail menu, too!

‘And despite being more than four years old, BA’s Club Suite feels as fresh and enticing as ever. The cabin was spotless and if you’d told me the seat was new out of the factory, I would have believed you.

‘Plus, the fully-closing door adds a level of privacy that really heightens the business class experience.’

Any downsides? A handful.

Liam added: ‘As a fully-flat bed, British Airways’ Club Suite can’t quite compete with leading products such as Qatar Airways’ QSuite when it comes to comfort and space.

‘And the business-class check-in experience at Heathrow Airport is perfectly fine, if not a little underwhelming, especially when compared with Virgin Atlantic’s separate wing for Upper Class passengers.’

For more from The Points Guy visit thepointsguy.com/uk-travel. To see the full Virgin Atlantic vs British Airways video click here.

A scientist claims he has increased his lifespan by 20 percent after living 93 days underwater. 

Joseph Dituri, 55, a retired Naval officer, has been living inside a 100-square-foot pod at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for 93 days, researching how a pressurized environment impacts the human body.

The mission was also designed to beat the world record for living underwater – the previous stay was 73 days. 

Dituri told DailyMail.com that doctors conducted tests on his body to see how it changed from March to June, including tests that measure telomeres, compounds at the end of chromosomes that shorten with age.

He claims they are now 20 percent longer, and he has up to 10 times more stem cells than when he first moved into the underwater pod in March.

Dituri experiences 60 to 66 percent deep REM sleep every night, his inflammatory markers have been cut by half and his cholesterol has dropped by 72 points, he claims.

The scientist did not provide details of how his telomeres were measured, but there are testing services that measure their length from blood samples.

And most services take about two weeks to provide results. 

The health changes are due to the pressure, which is similar to the process in hyperbaric chambers, which are found to improve cerebral blood flow, brain metabolism, and brain microstructure, leading to improved cognitive functions, physical functions, sleep, and gait.

A study conducted by Tel Aviv University in 2020 found hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HBOT) in healthy aging adults can stop the aging of blood cells and reverse the aging process.

The researchers exposed 35 healthy individuals aged 64 or over to a series of 60 hyperbaric sessions over 90 days. 

Each participant provided blood samples before, during and at the end of the treatments and sometime after the treatments concluded. The researchers then analyzed various immune cells in the blood and compared the results. 

Focusing on immune cells containing DNA obtained from the participants’ blood, the study discovered a lengthening of up to 38 percent of the telomeres, according to Tel Aviv University’s press release.

Dituri is using the pressurized environment to study how the human body responds to long-term exposure to extreme pressure in a small space for 100 days – a similar environment spacefaring heroes will endure while traveling to the Red Planet. 

‘You need one of these places that is cut off from outside activity,’ Dituri told DailyMail.com, referring to the tiny pod.

‘Send people down here for a two-week vacation, where they get their feet scrubbed, relax and can experience the benefit of hyperbaric medicine.’

Dituri began this epic mission on March 1 with not just a goal of breaking the record of living the longest underwater – it was previously 73 days – but also to learn how the pressure can benefit the human body.

He works out for one hour four to five days a week but only has access to exercise bands.

‘I am still maintaining the mass that I have, which is insane,’ said Dituri.

‘My metabolism has increased, so my body has become leaner, and even though my muscle mass has not changed [since I was on the surface], I am still leaner than I was.’

The change in the number of stem cells has also been a part of his research.

Stem cells are a promising potential solution for reversing the visible signs of aging, and Stanford found that old human cells can be rejuvenated with stem cells.

When DailyMail.com first spoke with Dituri, he was just 24 days into the mission and said he suspected his telomeres would grow to be much longer – and he was correct.

Previous research has shown that telomeres, which protect chromosomes from becoming frayed, lengthen when the body is under extreme pressure.

‘We suspect, or we know in hyperbaric medicine, that after about 60 treatments one hour per day at a higher pressure than I’m at right now, one hour per day you will grow them between 25 and 33 percent, the jury is still out on that it is not full of science,’ said Dituri in March.

And speaking with the scientist recently, he said the compounds had grown 20 percent. 

‘We knew this was going to happen. Whether these sticks is the question. That’s what we want to see when we come out of this,’ Dituri said.

While the underwater lodge is small, the pod has a work area, kitchen, bathroom, two bedrooms, and a small ‘swimming pool’ that acts as the exit and entrance and a window with a view of the ocean. 

Dituri told DailyMail.com from the bunker on day 24: ‘I’m loving it. I’ve got a coffee maker because God knows science does not happen without coffee.’

He has also been testing technology that could be used to help astronauts who make the epic journey to Mars.

One of the devices is a pre-NASA tool, meaning it must be tested before the agency takes it on.

It is similar to Star Trek’s tricorder, which scans the body to monitor a person’s health and determine if they need medical assistance.

Dituri is also investigating how to prevent muscle mass loss while in space, which plagues astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS).

‘We’re going to Mars, but it is going to take 200 days to get there on the best home and transfer window,’ Dituri told DailyMail.com.

‘[When you get there] you are going to have decreased muscle mass, and you’re not going to be able to see very far, and you’re not going to be in really good shape, and you’re going to have decreased bone density, and we’re going to land you hard on a re-endurable market as it lands and slams down to the ground.

‘I think maybe that’s a bad idea, and we need to figure some stuff out first, but that is just me.’

Dituri’s home away from home is located at Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo.

‘There is a TV, although I really do not know how to turn it on. I have a small freezer like in a hotel room,’ he said, while also noting he keeps a stash of chocolate in the pod.

A small microwave is on a shelf, the only thing that can be used for cooking.

‘Every good hotel has to have a pool, and my hotel has a teeny little pool outside,’ said Dituri.

‘This is how we enter and exit from the habitat. So when I go for a scuba dive with all my scuba diving gear, I get it on. I go out of the hole, and then I dive around. So that’s how people come in and come out.’

Dituri sleeps on a twin-size bed with a small bunk on top, which is the same setup in an adjacent room for scientists who visit him.

Dituri found his passion for science while serving as a saturation diving officer in the US Navy for 28 years.

After retiring in 2012 as a commander, Dituri enrolled at the University of South Florida to earn his doctoral degree to learn more about traumatic brain injuries.

And he is also a published author.

‘I was bored during COVID because they would not let me treat patients for the first couple of months, so I wrote a book,’ Dituri said while noting it is available on Amazon.

‘It’s called ‘Secrets in Depth. It’s about a nice Italian boy from New York who joins the Navy and gets to a whole bunch of trouble with the CIA.’

While the scientist is working to find a cure for astronaut ailments, he is also missing his three daughters, who he raves about at any chance he gets.

His 21-year-old daughter, Gabrielle, graduated from the California Institute of Technology in May, an event he could not attend.

Sophie, 19, happily works at a restaurant in South Tampa, Florida and Josephine, 27, has a Masters in psychology and works in New York City.

 

  

An adventurous British father’s dream to sail across the Atlantic from Canada to Cornwall in a tiny homemade yacht has ended in heartbreak after the vessel filled with water and was destroyed while still in the dock. 

Andrew Bedwell planned to make a 1,900-mile trip from Newfoundland, Canada, to Falmouth, Cornwall, in his 3ft by 11ft fibreglass yacht called Big C – which would have become the smallest boat ever to cross the Atlantic.

Announcing the devastating update in a video titled ‘The end of a dream’, Mr Bedwell, from Scarisbrick, Lancashire, said: ‘Hello everyone. Firstly I am so sorry. We had a difficult problem yesterday. We got back to the harbour and the boat had basically sunk. 

‘Because she was full of water, we had to kind of lift her out by her framework rather than put straps underneath the boat.

He explained that as they lifted Big C up, problems were caused by ‘half or three quarters of a tonne or a tonne of water’, resulting in the framework giving way. 

‘She’s dropped down on to the harbour side and basically it’s destroyed the boat,’ he added.

‘I don’t know what to say to everyone who’s supported me, helped me, you’ve all been absolutely amazing. Big C is no more. She can’t carry on. I can’t do it, I’m sorry.’

Mr Bedwell, who works as a yacht and sailmaker, had said yesterday that after the boat started taking on water there were plans to make modifications and relaunch the vessel, which took three years to build and has a top speed of two-and-a-half miles per hour. 

The father of a ten-year-old daughter Poppy only needed to reach a point within 50 miles of the west of Ireland to claim the world record for the smallest boat to cross the Atlantic, but he had hoped to finish in Falmouth in late August.

Within hours of his heartbreaking video going up, his JustGiving page had also been taken down. He had been raising money for cancer charities in memory of his father, mother and friend Tom McNally, who helped him design and build the boat before his death.

Mr Bedwell has spent his career making sails and delivering yachts all over the world. As a sailor, he has navigated around Britain and journeyed into the frozen reaches of the Arctic Circle.

Before his aborted trip, the mariner said: ‘You never know, you could hit an iceberg. The Titanic was considered unsinkable but it hit one, and there are a lot of icebergs out there.

‘But I wanted a big challenge before I am 50 – and I am taking on a huge challenge in a tiny vessel.’ 

He said his ‘biggest apprehension’ was probably encountering a storm in his tiny vessel.

He said: ‘When you get into a storm, you are battening down and hoping for the best.

‘You have got vessels who are also in the storms, and they are not always looking out for you. That is probably my biggest apprehension.’ 

The distraught father had designed his boat to be able to carry supplies to fuel him – which included moulding food stores of beef jerky, raisins and vitamin drinks into the walls of his cabin. He was also set to bring just one change of clothes.

To maintain a fresh water supply he had installed a desalination unit.

Joking about what it would have been like at sea in such circumstances he said it was going to be like being ‘stuck in a wheelie bin, on a rollercoaster for 90 days’.

Mr Bedwell added: ‘My one luxury item is going to be a flannel, and that is going to do the job for everything.’

Doctors had warned Mr Bedwell ahead of his trip that he might have had to have learned to walk again when he arrived home due to the lack of movement and only being able to stand up in calm conditions.

He said previously: ‘When I get back, it is debatable how easily I will be able to walk. So I will have to be careful with my legs.’  

After calling the trip off, messages of support flooded his Facebook account.

One user said: ‘I’m so sorry. Big dreams mean big challenges. I wish you all the best.’

A second added: ‘Sad to hear what happened, but the most important, happy to hear you are okay!’

And a third commented: ‘If it were easy everyone would do it. Get some rest, maybe go away for a couple of days and regroup. You didn’t promise anything to anyone but yourself. Carry On.’