misprint or what

Researchers at space agencies like NASA and ESA want to understand flares because they generate radiation that can be hazardous to unprotected astronauts, like those walking on the surface of the Moon.

what is interesting here is the end of the sentence: like those walking on the surface of the Moon

do they really walk there now ?
here is the article itself

Surely if they were "walking" on the moon they would be wearing space suits or something? isn't that "protection"

Thats just a bit odd really isn't it!

reply to post by silencee


English is not my mother tongue, and I never learnt anything about the rules used in English, but have you another way of saying that?

I think that this is meant to distinguish astronauts walking on the Moon from those inside installations or any other protection.

reply to post by silencee

I see no problem with the use of the word "walking" here. They are talking about future astronauts who may be walking on the moon, not astronauts presently walking on the moon.

Here's another example:

"The Federal Highway Safety Commission is charged with making sure people driving and riding in cars are doing so safely ."

That sentence doesn't mean that Highway Safety Commission is only concerned about who are driving right now, but rather they are concerned with all future driving.

Maybe it would be more clear (and perhaps more correct) to drop the '-ing' at the end of the verb and say "...astronauts who walk on the Moon..." or "...people who drive or ride in cars...", but I don't think the sentence in the OP is technically incorrect either.

Originally posted by silencee
what is interesting here is the end of the sentence: like those walking on the surface of the Moon

I think the author was just giving an example. Since solar flares and radiation is a big concern for any astronauts going to the Moon for a long term stay. Unlike astronauts in Earth orbit, who have Earths magnetosphere for added protection. Any astronaut that goes to the Moon for a long term stay would have to depend on man made radiation shielding.

Originally posted by realism
Surely if they were "walking" on the moon they would be wearing space suits or something? isn't that "protection"

From the vacuum of space sure, but a space suit can't protect you from any intense radiation from a large solar flare.

I think that your reading too deeply into the dialog. Just lazy grammar, nothing more.