Space mining is an idea that began taking hold at the turn of the century, and 10 years ago, it was passionately discussed. Many argued that space mining could revolutionise the commercial space economy by employing robots and private astronauts to explore and mine near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) for precious metals and even rare earth metals.

IT IS big, bulky, you can't snort it, and it doesn't get you high. Per tonne, it sells for about $125, compared with cocaine, which fetches at least $50m wholesale. By any reckoning, iron ore would seem like a daft thing to peddle if you were in the drugs trade.

What a difference three decades make. When the Berlin Wall was torn down on November 9, 1989, it symbolized the collapse of the Iron Curtain and the liberation of more than 300 million people from the tyrannical grip of communism.

Ladies, meet your new hero. Men, prepare to be humbled. My friend Staci, or Spezzy as she's known around the Nerd Fitness community, has one of the best success stories I've ever seen. For the women out there who are scared about "getting too bulky when lifting weights," this article is for you.