1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,580 Okay, picture this. 2 00:00:01,580 --> 00:00:03,380 You're gazing up at the night sky, 3 00:00:03,380 --> 00:00:07,000 and there it is, that distinct reddish point of light. 4 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,160 For centuries, humans have looked at Mars and wondered, 5 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,060 is anyone else out there? 6 00:00:12,060 --> 00:00:15,420 That question has fueled countless stories, 7 00:00:15,420 --> 00:00:18,120 myths, and scientific endeavors. 8 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,360 And today, we're diving deep into the reality 9 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:22,800 behind those Martian dreams. 10 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:23,740 I love it. 11 00:00:23,740 --> 00:00:26,280 Welcome to Cosmos in a Pod. 12 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,380 Our space and astronomy series, and buckle up, 13 00:00:29,380 --> 00:00:31,960 because we're about to go on a wild ride 14 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,160 through the history of Mars exploration. 15 00:00:34,160 --> 00:00:37,280 It's fascinating how Mars has captivated humanity 16 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:38,320 for so long. 17 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:39,960 Even before we had telescopes, 18 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,880 ancient civilizations were tracking its movements, 19 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:44,360 weaving it into their mythology. 20 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,240 Right, like who hasn't heard about the Roman god of war 21 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:48,320 being named Mars? 22 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:49,140 Of course. 23 00:00:49,140 --> 00:00:51,360 It's almost as if that red color 24 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,400 predestined it to be associated with conflict. 25 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:56,840 But beyond those early beliefs, 26 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:58,400 even those early observations, 27 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,400 as basic as they were, laid the foundation 28 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,040 for our scientific curiosity about the planet. 29 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:08,080 Exactly, and that curiosity exploded 30 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,520 once we had the tools to really observe Mars up close. 31 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:14,260 When telescopes came along, 32 00:01:14,260 --> 00:01:18,240 it allowed us to see Mars not just as a point of light, 33 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,360 but as a world with features. 34 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:21,200 Oh wow. 35 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,840 Poli ice caps, dark areas that shifted with the seasons. 36 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:26,680 Interesting. 37 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:27,500 It was tantalizing. 38 00:01:27,500 --> 00:01:28,680 I can only imagine. 39 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:30,160 It's like going from a blurry photo 40 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,280 to suddenly seeing something in high definition. 41 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:33,120 Exactly. 42 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,000 What stands out to you as the most pivotal moment 43 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,960 in those early days of Mars observation? 44 00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:40,200 We can't talk about early Mars observation 45 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,760 without mentioning those infamous canals. 46 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:43,580 Oh right. 47 00:01:43,580 --> 00:01:47,480 In the late 1800s, an astronomer named Giovanni Schiaparelli 48 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:48,800 observed what he described 49 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:50,320 as channels on the Martian surface. 50 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:51,280 Oh, those canals. 51 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:52,100 Yes. 52 00:01:52,100 --> 00:01:52,940 Weren't they thought to be evidence 53 00:01:52,940 --> 00:01:54,720 of an advanced Martian civilization? 54 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:55,560 Precisely. 55 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:56,400 Wow. 56 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,000 Schiaparelli himself was cautious. 57 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:58,840 Okay. 58 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,080 Others like Percival Lowell ran with the idea 59 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:02,600 of fueling public imagination 60 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:04,360 with visions of a Martian society 61 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:07,280 capable of engineering such massive structures. 62 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:08,960 Of course, later observations proved 63 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,120 those canals were optical illusions. 64 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:11,960 Ah. 65 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:13,080 But the impact they had 66 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,280 on our cultural fascination with Mars. 67 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:16,120 Right. 68 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,840 Was undeniable. 69 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:20,920 It's amazing how a misinterpretation 70 00:02:20,920 --> 00:02:22,840 can have such a lasting effect. 71 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:23,680 It is. 72 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:25,800 It really speaks to our deep-seated desire 73 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,240 to find life beyond Earth, doesn't it? 74 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:29,080 Absolutely. 75 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:30,720 And while those early canal theories 76 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,720 might have been a bit of a detour, 77 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:34,620 they ultimately spurred us to develop 78 00:02:34,620 --> 00:02:37,040 even better tools and methods to study Mars, 79 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,800 laying the groundwork for the era of space exploration. 80 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaking of which, the space race. 81 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:43,240 Yes. 82 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:44,400 A time of incredible ambition, 83 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:45,560 and let's face it, 84 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:47,720 some pretty comical mishaps along the way. 85 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:48,560 Oh yeah. 86 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,560 I mean, trying to send a spacecraft 87 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,400 millions of miles to another planet. 88 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:53,240 Right. 89 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:54,280 In the early days of space travel. 90 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:55,120 Yeah. 91 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:56,680 That must have been incredibly challenging. 92 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:58,800 It was a monumental undertaking. 93 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,360 Early attempts to reach Mars in the 1960s, 94 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,100 primarily by the Soviet Union and the United States, 95 00:03:04,100 --> 00:03:05,840 were often met with failure rockets 96 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:07,460 exploding on the launch pad probes, 97 00:03:07,460 --> 00:03:09,800 missing their target communication blackouts. 98 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:11,900 It sounds like something out of a movie montage, 99 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:13,480 except with real-life stakes. 100 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:14,320 Right. 101 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:15,600 But even amidst those failures, 102 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:17,480 there were some incredible breakthroughs, right? 103 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:18,320 Oh, absolutely. 104 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,900 One of the most significant early successes 105 00:03:20,900 --> 00:03:24,680 was Mariner 4's flyby in 1965. 106 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:25,520 Okay. 107 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:29,160 It was the first spacecraft to successfully fly past Mars 108 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,400 and send back close-up images of the planet. 109 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:33,240 Wow. 110 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:34,840 They weren't the most detailed pictures. 111 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:36,440 I remember reading about that. 112 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:37,920 They were kind of blurry, weren't they? 113 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:38,760 Yeah. 114 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,200 Like trying to take a photo from a speeding car. 115 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:41,240 Exactly like that. 116 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:42,080 Interesting. 117 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:43,720 But even those grainy images 118 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,160 revealed a surface covered in craters, 119 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,760 much like our moon shattering the romantic notions 120 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,640 of a lush canal-filled Mars that some had imagined. 121 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:53,880 So kind of a reality check, 122 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,160 but also a huge leap forward in our understanding 123 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:57,440 of what Mars actually looked like. 124 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:58,280 Precisely. 125 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,720 And that initial glimpse fueled the desire 126 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,440 to send even more sophisticated missions to Mars. 127 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,680 It wasn't long before we went from flybys to orbiters, 128 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,200 allowing us to map the planet in greater detail 129 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,560 and study its atmosphere and surface features. 130 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:12,960 Okay, here's where it gets really interesting, 131 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:13,800 Mariner 9, right? 132 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:14,640 Yes. 133 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:15,520 That mission really changed the game. 134 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,240 Mariner 9 was a game changer. 135 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:18,880 It became the first spacecraft 136 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:20,880 to successfully orbit another planet 137 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,760 arriving at Mars in 1971. 138 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:25,680 What's fascinating is that it arrived 139 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,440 during a massive dust storm 140 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,280 that obscured the entire planet. 141 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:30,920 Oh wow, talk about bad timing. 142 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:31,760 I know. 143 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:33,040 Did they have to wait for the dust to settle 144 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:34,200 to get any useful data? 145 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,200 They did, but the wait was worth it once the dust settled. 146 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,560 Mariner 9 revealed a Mars far more diverse and dramatic 147 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:43,480 than anyone had imagined. 148 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,000 So what did it see filming in? 149 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,320 Mariner 9's images showed us gigantic volcanoes. 150 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:49,160 Wow. 151 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:50,240 Including Olympus Mons, 152 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,360 the largest volcano in the solar system, 153 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,080 towering three times higher than Mount Everest. 154 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:55,920 Wow. 155 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:57,520 And then there was Valleys Marineris, 156 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,240 a canyon system that dwarfs the Grand Canyon, 157 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:01,600 stretching across a distance 158 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:03,520 equivalent to the width of the United States. 159 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:04,480 Oh my goodness. 160 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:06,760 It also captured evidence of ancient riverbeds 161 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:08,560 and floodplains hinting at a past 162 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,360 where water flowed freely on the Martian surface. 163 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,120 Wow, that must have blown everyone's minds. 164 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,200 It's like Mars went from being this desolate cratered world 165 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,560 to a planet with a rich and dynamic geological history. 166 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:20,560 Exactly. 167 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:24,040 Mariner 9 completely reshaped our understanding of Mars. 168 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,480 It revealed a planet that was once far more Earth-like 169 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:30,400 than we had previously thought raising the question, 170 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:31,880 could life have existed there? 171 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:32,840 And that question, of course, 172 00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:36,360 leads us to the next big step in Mars exploration landers. 173 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,160 We wanted to touch the surface 174 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:40,640 to do more than just observe from afar. 175 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,040 Right, the Viking missions in the 1970s 176 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,240 marked the first successful landings on Mars. 177 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,040 These were incredibly ambitious missions 178 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,480 designed not only to study the Martian landscape 179 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:53,840 but to search for signs of life itself. 180 00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:55,600 Okay, so they were looking for actual Martians? 181 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:56,840 Were they carrying little microscopes 182 00:05:56,840 --> 00:05:58,440 to examine the soil or something? 183 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,960 Well, not exactly Martians as we might imagine them. 184 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:02,400 The Viking landers were equipped 185 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:05,320 with sophisticated instruments to analyze the Martian soil 186 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,360 and atmosphere for signs of microbial life bacteria. 187 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,040 Essentially, they conducted experiments 188 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,000 designed to detect metabolic processes 189 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,600 that would indicate the presence of microorganisms. 190 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:15,520 So what did they find? 191 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,840 Did those experiments reveal any signs of life? 192 00:06:17,840 --> 00:06:19,400 The results were complicated. 193 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,160 Some of the experiments initially yielded positive results 194 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,200 suggesting the possibility of microbial activity, 195 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,120 but other tests were inconclusive 196 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,880 and ultimately scientists couldn't definitively confirm 197 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:31,280 the presence of life. 198 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:32,960 So a bit of a cliffhanger ending talk 199 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:34,880 about keeping us on the edge of our seats. 200 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:36,440 Indeed, the Viking missions, 201 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,760 while inconclusive in their search for life, 202 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,400 provided a wealth of data about the Martian environment 203 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,160 paving the way for a new generation 204 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:45,760 of even more sophisticated missions. 205 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:49,320 And those missions bring us to the Mars we know today, 206 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,400 a planet explored by rovers, orbiters and landers 207 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:55,200 that have revealed more secrets 208 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,000 than we could have ever imagined. 209 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,560 It's truly remarkable how much we've learned about Mars 210 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,120 in recent decades, from the confirmation of past water 211 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,320 to the discovery of organic molecules. 212 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,720 The evidence keeps piling up, pointing to a planet 213 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:09,360 that was once far more habitable than it is today. 214 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:11,080 So we've gone from blurry flybys 215 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,120 to rovers trekking across the Martian surface, 216 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,360 sending back high definition images and data 217 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,040 that's changing our understanding of the red planet. 218 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:20,040 It's been quite a journey 219 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,120 and we've only just begun to scratch the surface. 220 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:23,400 And what's even more exciting 221 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:24,880 is that we're not just exploring Mars 222 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,880 to understand its past, we're also looking to the future, 223 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,960 to the possibility of sending humans to Mars 224 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:33,160 and perhaps one day even establishing 225 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:35,200 a permanent presence there. 226 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,440 Now that's a topic I can't wait to dive 227 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,560 into human missions to Mars. 228 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,640 The challenges, the possibilities, 229 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,520 the ethical considerations. 230 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:44,920 We've got a lot to unpack. 231 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:46,680 But first, let's take a quick break 232 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:48,920 and when we come back, we'll delve into the future 233 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:50,480 of Mars exploration. 234 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,200 It really does feel like we're on the verge 235 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,880 of a new era in Mars exploration. 236 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,840 We've sent robots, we've analyzed the soil 237 00:07:57,840 --> 00:07:59,560 and now the next logical step 238 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:01,800 is to bring pieces of Mars back to Earth. 239 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:03,120 Sample return mission. 240 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:03,960 Exactly. 241 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,120 It sounds almost too futuristic to be true. 242 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:06,960 I know. 243 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:07,960 I mean, we're talking about actually having 244 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,560 bits of Martian rock and soil here in labs, right? 245 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,880 Exactly, and that's precisely what missions 246 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,080 like the Mars sample return are aiming to do. 247 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:20,120 It's a joint effort by NASA and the European Space Agency, 248 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,160 a multi-stage process that involves collecting samples 249 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:25,240 with a rover, like Perseverance, 250 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,160 launching them from the Martian surface 251 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,840 and rendezvous with another spacecraft in orbit 252 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:31,000 to bring them back to Earth. 253 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:32,480 Okay, that is seriously impressive. 254 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,680 It sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. 255 00:08:34,680 --> 00:08:35,520 Yeah. 256 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:37,160 But it's actually happening. 257 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,320 What's got scientists so excited about studying 258 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:40,920 these samples back here on Earth? 259 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:42,240 Well, think of it this way. 260 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:44,480 Right now, we're relying on robots 261 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,640 to do our scientific analysis on Mars. 262 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:47,480 Right. 263 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,480 And those robots are incredible feats of engineering. 264 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:51,320 Yeah. 265 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,080 But they're limited in what they can do. 266 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,840 Bringing those samples back to Earth 267 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,240 allows us to unleash the full power 268 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:58,960 of Earth-based laboratories. 269 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:00,760 So we're talking cutting edge instruments, 270 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,040 teams of scientists, the whole nine yards. 271 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:03,880 Exactly. 272 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,800 We can analyze the composition of Martian rocks and soil 273 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,680 with a level of precision that's just not possible. 274 00:09:09,680 --> 00:09:11,520 With robotic instruments on Mars, 275 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,160 we can look for biosignatures, signs of past, 276 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:15,600 or even present life. 277 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:16,440 Wow. 278 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,080 In much greater detail, we can even date the rocks, 279 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,080 giving us a much clearer timeline 280 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:22,960 of Mars's geological history. 281 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:24,920 Wow, that's a game changer. 282 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,880 It's like having a time machine to peer into Mars's past. 283 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:31,240 But sample return missions are just one piece of the puzzle. 284 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:32,080 Right. 285 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:34,280 The ultimate goal, the one that really 286 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:37,560 captures the imagination, is sending humans to Mars. 287 00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:38,400 Absolutely. 288 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:40,600 It's the next giant leap. 289 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,200 The kind of thing that inspires generations 290 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,000 and pushes the boundaries of what we think is possible. 291 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,200 But it's also a huge E leap, right? 292 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:49,600 I mean, sending robots is one thing, 293 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,160 but putting humans on another planet, 294 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:54,560 that's a whole other level of complexity and risk. 295 00:09:54,560 --> 00:09:55,520 There's no doubt about it. 296 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,600 Human missions to Mars present a whole host of challenges 297 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,760 that we've never encountered before. 298 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,400 The journey itself would be incredibly demanding. 299 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,680 It could take up to two years to get to Mars and back. 300 00:10:06,680 --> 00:10:09,520 Exposing astronauts to prolonged periods 301 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:12,560 of microgravity, radiation, and psychological stress 302 00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:14,800 from isolation and confinement. 303 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,000 I remember reading about the psychological experiments 304 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,400 they've done simulating long duration space travel here 305 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:20,120 on Earth. 306 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,160 Talk about claustrophobia. 307 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,640 It takes a very specific kind of person 308 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:26,280 to handle that kind of isolation. 309 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:27,720 It certainly does. 310 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,440 Astronauts who embark on a mission to Mars 311 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,160 would need to be incredibly resilient, 312 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,040 both physically and mentally. 313 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:36,520 And then there are the challenges of surviving on Mars 314 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:37,720 once they arrive. 315 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,840 Right, because Mars isn't exactly welcoming to human life. 316 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:43,840 It's basically a freezing desert with a thin, 317 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:44,960 unbreathable atmosphere. 318 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:46,080 Exactly. 319 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,800 We'd need to develop ways to create habitable environments 320 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,720 on Mars, protect astronauts from radiation, 321 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,640 extract water from the Martian soil or ice, 322 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,440 and even grow food in a completely alien environment. 323 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:59,880 It's a monumental engineering challenge, 324 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:03,360 but it's one that many brilliant minds are actively working on. 325 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:04,680 It's mind boggling to think about all 326 00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:06,200 the technological advancements that 327 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:07,640 will come out of this effort. 328 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:09,560 I mean, solving these problems for Mars 329 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:12,520 could have huge implications for sustainability and resource 330 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:13,880 management here on Earth, too. 331 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:14,800 You're absolutely right. 332 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:16,400 The technologies we develop for Mars 333 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:18,320 could have far-reaching applications, 334 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:21,160 leading to breakthroughs in areas like renewable energy, 335 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:23,680 closed-loop life support systems, and even 336 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:25,440 advanced medical treatments. 337 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:27,360 It's like that famous quote, we choose 338 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,920 to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, 339 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:34,360 not because they are easy, but because they are hard. 340 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:37,200 It's about pushing ourselves beyond our limits. 341 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:39,280 And in the process, making discoveries 342 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:41,200 that benefit all of humanity. 343 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,000 It's a powerful reminder that exploration isn't just 344 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:45,280 about what we find out there. 345 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,040 It's about what we learn about ourselves in the process. 346 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,200 So we've talked about the house sample return missions, 347 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,960 human missions, the incredible technology involved. 348 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:57,120 But let's talk about the why. 349 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:00,840 Why are we so fixated on this one red planet? 350 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:04,240 What's the driving force behind all this effort and investment? 351 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:05,640 Well, on a fundamental level, it's 352 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,520 about our innate curiosity, our desire 353 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:10,680 to explore and understand the unknown Mars 354 00:12:10,680 --> 00:12:13,200 as our closest planetary neighbor. 355 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,640 And it holds clues about the formation and evolution 356 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:16,920 of our own solar system. 357 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:17,400 Interesting. 358 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,200 Studying Mars is like looking back 359 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,200 in time trying to piece together the history 360 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:22,280 of planetary evolution. 361 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,240 So it's about understanding where we came from 362 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:25,840 and maybe even where we're going. 363 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:26,440 Exactly. 364 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:27,920 And then, of course, there's the big question 365 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:29,560 that's been looming over Mars exploration 366 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:31,920 from the beginning, the question of life. 367 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:33,880 Did life ever exist on Mars? 368 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:35,160 Could it still exist today? 369 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,480 Perhaps in some hidden underground oasis? 370 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:40,640 That's a question that's been fueling science fiction 371 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,720 in our imaginations for centuries. 372 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:43,220 I know. 373 00:12:43,220 --> 00:12:45,160 Finding evidence of life beyond Earth 374 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,120 would completely change our perspective 375 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:48,680 on our place in the universe. 376 00:12:48,680 --> 00:12:51,520 It would be one of the most profound discoveries 377 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:52,800 in human history. 378 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:56,560 Imagine the implications for our understanding of biology, 379 00:12:56,560 --> 00:12:59,960 evolution, and the very nation of life itself. 380 00:12:59,960 --> 00:13:01,520 And even if we don't find evidence 381 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,920 of past or present life understanding why Mars, 382 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:07,120 a planet that once had conditions similar to Earth 383 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,560 remained barren while life flourished on our planet, 384 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:11,120 would be incredibly valuable. 385 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,400 It's like having a control group in a giant planetary experiment 386 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:17,600 helping us understand the delicate balance of factors 387 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:19,240 that make a planet habitable. 388 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,320 But beyond the scientific pursuit of knowledge, 389 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:22,720 there's another compelling reason 390 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:24,200 to explore Mars' survival. 391 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:25,100 That's right. 392 00:13:25,100 --> 00:13:27,640 As we become increasingly aware of the vulnerabilities 393 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,520 of our own planet, the idea of establishing 394 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,320 a self-sustaining human presence on another planet 395 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,320 takes on a new urgency. 396 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:37,600 It's about ensuring the long-term survival 397 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,600 of our species having a backup plan in case something 398 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,080 catastrophic were to happen to Earth. 399 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:45,440 It's a sobering thought, but it makes sense. 400 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,760 It's like diversifying our portfolio. 401 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,000 But on a cosmic scale, it's about becoming 402 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,360 a multi-planetary species not out of necessity, 403 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,960 but out of a desire to ensure our future among the stars. 404 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:58,880 And who knows, maybe in the process of learning 405 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,360 how to survive on Mars, we'll learn valuable lessons 406 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,400 about how to better care for our own planet. 407 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,520 It's incredible to think about all the possibilities, 408 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,600 the potential breakthroughs, and the challenges that lie ahead. 409 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,400 But with all that we've learned about Mars, 410 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:14,400 all the amazing discoveries we've made, 411 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:16,640 there must still be so much that we don't know. 412 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:17,160 Oh, absolutely. 413 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:18,560 For all our exploration, we've only 414 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:20,920 just begun to unravel the mysteries of Mars. 415 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:23,360 It's like we've been reading this epic novel about Mars, 416 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:25,920 and we're finally getting to the really juicy chapters. 417 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,160 But there's still so many pages left to turn. 418 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:29,560 That's a great analogy. 419 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,640 We've gone from those early, blurry glimpses of Mars 420 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:36,640 to detailed maps, evidence of past water, 421 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:38,680 the discovery of organic molecules. 422 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,120 It's been an incredible journey of discovery. 423 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:44,720 But each new finding seems to raise even more questions. 424 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:46,520 So what are some of the biggest mysteries 425 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,920 that still have scientists scratching their heads? 426 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:51,840 What are the unanswered questions 427 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:53,520 that keep you up at night? 428 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,720 Well, top of the list is still the question of life. 429 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:56,240 Of course. 430 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,880 Even though we haven't found definitive proof yet, 431 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,640 there are tantalizing hints we've discovered, methane 432 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:03,720 in the Martian atmosphere, which could 433 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:05,440 be a sign of microbial activity. 434 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,600 And remember those Viking experiments that gave us 435 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:08,920 those ambiguous results? 436 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:12,080 Oh, yeah, the ones that hinted at possible biological 437 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,200 processes but weren't conclusive? 438 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:14,720 Exactly. 439 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:16,760 Those experiments are still being debated today. 440 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:18,320 And they've inspired new missions 441 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:19,800 designed to look for signs of life 442 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:21,680 in even more sophisticated ways. 443 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:23,160 But the mystery goes even deeper. 444 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:26,520 If life did exist on Mars, what happened to it? 445 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:28,920 Did it go extinct when the planet lost its atmosphere 446 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:30,440 in surface water, or could it still 447 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,080 be clinging to existence somewhere beneath the surface? 448 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:34,720 That's a chilling thought. 449 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,440 The idea of Martian life hiding in some deep, dark cave 450 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:39,480 waiting to be discovered. 451 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:40,680 I know. 452 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:42,880 It's like something out of a science fiction novel. 453 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,120 What else is on that list of Martian mysteries? 454 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:48,480 Another big one is the mystery of Mars' lost atmosphere. 455 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:51,920 Billions of years ago, Mars had a much thicker atmosphere 456 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,600 that allowed for liquid water to flow on its surface. 457 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:58,520 But over time, that atmosphere was stripped away by solar winds. 458 00:15:58,520 --> 00:15:59,020 Hold on. 459 00:15:59,020 --> 00:16:00,320 Can you break that down for me? 460 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:02,320 What exactly are solar winds, and how do they 461 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,280 manage to steal Mars' atmosphere? 462 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,800 Solar winds are essentially a constant stream 463 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,800 of charged particles that flow out from the sun. 464 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:11,320 They carry a lot of energy. 465 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:12,860 And when they hit a planet that doesn't 466 00:16:12,860 --> 00:16:15,480 have a strong magnetic field, they can gradually 467 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:16,960 strip away its atmosphere. 468 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,160 So Mars got caught in this cosmic windstorm, 469 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:20,880 and its atmosphere just blew away. 470 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,480 In a nutshell, yes, Mars lost its magnetic field 471 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,600 early in its history, leaving it vulnerable to these solar winds. 472 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,840 And over billions of years, that bombardment gradually 473 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,120 eroded its atmosphere, transforming it 474 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,320 into the thin, dry, and cold environment we see today. 475 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,080 It's a stark reminder of how precious and delicate 476 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:39,840 our own planet's atmosphere is. 477 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:40,400 It is. 478 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:42,280 We need to protect that ozone layer. 479 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:45,800 But going back to Mars, it sounds 480 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,000 like we've made incredible progress in understanding 481 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:48,500 its past. 482 00:16:48,500 --> 00:16:50,680 But there are still some fundamental gaps 483 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:51,320 in our knowledge. 484 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:51,880 Exactly. 485 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:53,640 We've pieced together a lot of the puzzle, 486 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,040 but there are still crucial pieces missing. 487 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,800 And that's what makes Mars exploration so exciting. 488 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,160 Every mission, every new discovery, 489 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:04,000 brings us closer to completing that picture, 490 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,520 to unlocking the secrets of this enigmatic planet. 491 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,140 It's like we're standing on the edge of a vast, uncharted 492 00:17:10,140 --> 00:17:11,160 territory. 493 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,520 And every step we take reveals something new and wondrous. 494 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:16,360 So for those of us who are completely hooked 495 00:17:16,360 --> 00:17:18,600 on this Martian adventure, what can we 496 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:20,440 do to follow along, to learn more, 497 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,360 and stay up to date on the latest discoveries? 498 00:17:22,360 --> 00:17:23,880 We are in the right place for that. 499 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:25,920 You can follow Cosmos in a pod to stay up 500 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:28,160 to date on all things space and astronomy. 501 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,200 We'll keep you informed about upcoming missions, 502 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,780 groundbreaking findings, and all the latest developments 503 00:17:32,780 --> 00:17:33,880 in Mars exploration. 504 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,520 And don't forget to check out our YouTube channel 505 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:38,680 for stunning visuals, interactive maps, 506 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,160 and tons of extra content to satisfy 507 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:42,480 your Martian curiosity. 508 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:43,480 Absolutely. 509 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,880 So for all you aspiring astronauts and armchair 510 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,520 explorers out there, keep looking up, 511 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,960 keep asking questions, and keep that spirit of discovery alive. 512 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:55,240 The cosmos is full of wonders waiting to be uncovered. 513 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,320 And who knows, maybe one day some of you listening 514 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,960 will be the ones making those groundbreaking discoveries, 515 00:17:59,960 --> 00:18:02,360 setting foot on Mars, and writing the next chapter 516 00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:04,560 in this incredible story of human exploration. 517 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:05,320 I hope so. 518 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:19,520 Thanks for listening and keep looking up.