June 18, 2004, Hour Two: Seattle Remote: Mars -- Science Fact and Fiction

Science Friday > Archives > 2004 > June > June 18, 2004:
Hour Two: Seattle Remote: Mars -- Science Fact and Fiction

From the real-life Martian rovers to stories about life on the Red Planet, Mars and science fiction go together. But how far away from the truth are tales of Martians invading earth, or humans colonizing Mars?

NASA's twin rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have spent the last few months rolling through the dust on Mars. How far are we from walking on the Red Planet? How much of our motivation to go to Mars originated in our imaginations, fueled by science fiction authors, like Ray Bradbury?

W e're broadcasting from the opening of the new Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle. This hour, it's Mars science, and science fiction. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (3-4 Eastern), and discuss science on our Science Friday Blog (

Guests:
Donna Shirley
Former Manager, Mars Exploration Program
Author, "Managing Martians: The Extraordinary Story of a Woman's Lifelong Quest to Get to Mars -- and of the Team Behind the Space Robot That Has Captured the Imagination of the World" (Broadway Books, 1998)
Director, Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
Seattle, Washington

Gregory Benford
Professor, Physics
University of California, Irvine
Author, "Eater," (Eos, 2000), "The Martian Race," (Aspect, 1999)
Irvine, California

Greg Bear
Author, "Dead Lines" (Balantine Books, 2004), "Darwin's Children," (Del Ray, 2003), "Moving Mars," (Tor, 1993)
Lynnwood, Washington

Albert Haldemann
Deputy Project Scientist
Mars Exploration Rover Mission
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, California

This segment produced by Karin Vergoth and Erica Altman

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