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Kevin
Nolan Author
of “Mars, a Cosmic Stepping Stone” Home Book Bio Lecture
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The questions of our
origin and cosmic abundance of life are among the most compelling facing
humanity. We have determined much about the nature and origin of the Universe
and our place in it, but with virtually all evidence of our origin long since
gone from our world and an unimaginably vast Universe still to explore,
defining answers are difficult to obtain. For all of the
difficulties facing us however, the planet Mars may act as a ‘cosmic stepping
stone’ in uncovering some of the answers. Although different today, the
origin and early history of both Earth and Mars may have been similar enough
to consider an origin to life on both. But because Mars’ planetary processes
collapsed over three billion years ago – just as life was beginning to
flourish on Earth – a significant and unique record of activity from that era
perhaps relevant to the origin of life still resides there today. In recognition of this,
both the US and Europe are currently engaged in one of the most ambitious
programs of exploration ever undertaken. Built on our legacy of Mars
exploration from the Viking era and before, a far-reaching, phased, program
of robotic exploration now and over the coming decades aims at obtaining
definitive answers about the origin and nature of the red planet and what it
has to say about the origin and cosmic abundance of life. This book examines
these issues in one of the most comprehensive treatments ever written about
the planet Mars and our legacy of engagement with it, in language suitable
for non-expert and expert alike. Opening chapters consider
the question of life in the Universe and the origin of life on Earth and what
challenges face us in uncovering defining answers. With a realization of its
importance in this, the next section examines the legacy of our engagement
with Mars. From Kepler’s work on its orbit, Schiaparelli’s efforts to resolve
its surface features and NASA’s Mariner and Viking programs attempting to
determine whether life resides upon the surface, Mars has remained elusive,
yet always prodding and extending our capabilities in exploration and our
perception of our place in the Universe. Subsequent chapters consider our
current understanding of the planet and the recently devised comprehensive
program for scientific exploration. All recent, current and upcoming missions
and the latest findings are discussed in detail, providing our best understanding
yet of a vast and ancient landscape indeed characterized by significant
activity relevant to our quest and which also points to a planet far from
dead today. Late chapters consider NASA and ESA plans for Mars over the next
thirty years, increasingly shaped by the scientific successes to date,
unprecedented public interest and by issues of planetary protection. And with
mounting political interest, our program for Mars may culminate in a human
mission to Mars, perhaps sometime around 2040. The greatest discovery,
however, remains to be made. If even one microbe is found on Mars, it will
reveal a cosmic context for life with Earth as one place among many harboring
life, confirming our cosmic origins and destiny. Written for: Popular science audience, science fiction fans,
amateur astronomers Keywords:
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