With Virgin planning its first space tourists over the next few years and industry wanting to branch outside of the atmosphere, a little thought of problem has been solved by the industrialisation of space: money. Coins have sharp, metal edges that can cause great damage in zero-g and credit cards would be completely wiped by cosmic radiation.
Currency exchange company Travelex has come up with a new form of currency that is completely spaceproof. Made of a similar material to non-stick frying pans, the QUID is heatproof at a high temperatures, has no sharp edges or toxic materials that could cause problems for the astronauts using them. Maybe in the future we’ll all be walking round space malls spending our tubes of QUIDS.
Very fun! All except for the mall part. I’m counting on doing my shopping through some sort of in-home online holographic wizardry, and never stepping foot in a mall. The Quids will probably just go to tip space-bellboys and waiters and the like. I’m assuming if I can afford to go into space, I can afford to tip the bellboy–unless of course I am the bellboy (or girl in this case.) Come to think of it, the latter scenario actually sounds more likely.
They’re cute and all, but don’t they look a little too bulky to carry around in a wallet or pocket? Wouldn’t it be more practical to develop some kind of method of enabling bank transfers, like an alternative to credit cards without the friable chips?
My thoughts exactly – physical money within the next few decades? Not likely. DNA and RFID all the way … whether we like it or not!