Australian of the Year would become the first astronaut in space to qualify under the Australian flag if she embarks on the 2028 mission

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The federal government has sent an offer to the European Space Agency (ESA) to send the Australian of the Year, astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, to the International Space Station.

The mission, slated for 2028, will mark the first time a qualified astronaut has flown to space under the Australian flag.

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© Photograph: Ina Fassbender/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ina Fassbender/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ina Fassbender/AFP/Getty Images

When actor Christina Applegate revealed that she had been misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it triggered not only an outpouring of empathy for her, but raised important questions about how often people are told they have the condition when they don't. William Brangham discussed why MS can be so difficult to diagnose with Dr. Michael Kornberg of Johns Hopkins University.

Although the case is considered exceptional, investigators are working to determine how the infection occurred and whether the pathogen played a role in the patient’s death.