Earth Microbes! Welcome to Mars

University of Arkansas grad student Rebecca Mickol and her team have demonstrated that some Earth bacteria can survive in the extremely thin atmosphere of Mars. Could Martian bacteria thrive under the same conditions? Jason Davis looks at the Mars vs. moon debate among some space explorers. Bill Nye says former NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is concerned about at least one area of activity conducted by the agency. Mat visits during Bruce Betts’ live astronomy class for this week’s What’s Up.

Related Links:

• Microbes Could Survive Thin Air of Mars
• Low Pressure Tolerance by Methanogens in an Aqueous Environment: Implications for Subsurface Life on Mars
• The Grand Finale—Why End the Cassini Mission?
• Planetary Radio Live—Incoming! Studying and Avoiding Near-Earth Asteroids and Comets
• February 2017 Space Policy Edition

This week's prizes are a lovely Planetary Radio t-shirt, now available in both men’s and women’s styles. Also, a 200-point iTelescope.net astronomy account, and a Planetary Society rubber asteroid.

This week's question:

What was the first star to be photographed besides the Sun? It has been used to define zero magnitude on the stellar brightness scale.

To submit your answer:

Complete the contest entry form at http://planetary.org/radiocontest or write to us at [email protected] no later than Tuesday, February 14th at 8am Pacific Time. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Last week's question:

Who sculpted the Fallen Astronaut statue left on the moon by the Apollo 15 astronaut Dave Scott?

Answer:

The answer will be revealed next week.

Question from the week before:

What solar system moon is closest in size to Mercury?

Answer:

Callisto is the moon that is closest in size to Mercury.