Robotic Mars exploration has been no picnic. Half of all Mars missions have ended in failure. But right now, the Mars Phoenix Lander is up there, well-landed, sending back astonishing images, and — it appears — shaking off its problems extending the eight-foot arm that will dig for ice.
The Phoenix is looking for conditions that would support life on Mars. But the bigger search for life “out there” goes way beyond the Martian north pole, to “weird life” and “exoplanets.”
This hour, On Point: The Phoenix has landed: the new mission to Mars, and the search for life beyond Earth.
Guests:
Peter Smith, principal investigator and project leader of the Phoenix Mars Mission and a scientist at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory.
Sara Seager, professor of planetary science and associate professor of physics at MIT.
Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA’s Mars Exploration Program.
Democrats charge Republicans with being prisoners of special interests. A young conservative turns that charge around.
Comedian Lizz Winstead, co-creator of “The Daily Show” is with us, on the truth in humor.
A breast-feeding three-year-old – and mom – on the cover of Time Magazine. We’ll talk with the guru of “attachment parenting.”
Two billion dollars lost in a flash by JP Morgan. Is this an argument for the Volcker rule – cracking down on speculative bets by the banks?
