Image by: Seth Shostak

To Earth and Back

From: Big Picture Science
Series: Big Picture Science
Length: 54:02

Meet the NASA officer whose task is to keep Earth, Mars - and the entire solar system - free of hitchhiking bacteria. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Podcast Version

Promos

Playing: To Earth and Back
From: Big Picture Science

Toearthandbackmed_small

We are all Martians … or could be, if, billions of years ago, Red Plant microbes fell to Earth and eventually evolved to us. Okay, that one’s a big “if.” But microbes can survive space travel. Meet the NASA officer whose task is to keep Earth, Mars – and the entire solar system –safe from hitchhiking bacteria.

And, even if we’re not Martians (darn!), did life once thrive on the Red Planet … and does it still today?

Plus, why meteorites may be happy habitats for life.

Guests:

• Catharine Conley – NASA planetary protection officer

• Chris McKay – Planetary scientist, NASA Ames Research Center

• Paul Davies – Director of the BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University

• Aaron Burton – Astrobiologist, NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center

• Debbie Kolyer – Grants Manager, SETI Institute

Playing: To Earth and Back
From: Big Picture Science

Toearthandbackmed_small

We are all Martians … or could be, if, billions of years ago, Red Plant microbes fell to Earth and eventually evolved to us. Okay, that one’s a big “if.” But microbes can survive space travel. Meet the NASA officer whose task is to keep Earth, Mars – and the entire solar system –safe from hitchhiking bacteria.

And, even if we’re not Martians (darn!), did life once thrive on the Red Planet … and does it still today?

Plus, why meteorites may be happy habitats for life.

Guests:

• Catharine Conley – NASA planetary protection officer

• Chris McKay – Planetary scientist, NASA Ames Research Center

• Paul Davies – Director of the BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University

• Aaron Burton – Astrobiologist, NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center

• Debbie Kolyer – Grants Manager, SETI Institute

Playing: To Earth and Back
From: Big Picture Science

Toearthandbackmed_small

We are all Martians … or could be, if, billions of years ago, Red Plant microbes fell to Earth and eventually evolved to us. Okay, that one’s a big “if.” But microbes can survive space travel. Meet the NASA officer whose task is to keep Earth, Mars – and the entire solar system –safe from hitchhiking bacteria.

And, even if we’re not Martians (darn!), did life once thrive on the Red Planet … and does it still today?

Plus, why meteorites may be happy habitats for life.

Guests:

• Catharine Conley – NASA planetary protection officer

• Chris McKay – Planetary scientist, NASA Ames Research Center

• Paul Davies – Director of the BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University

• Aaron Burton – Astrobiologist, NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center

• Debbie Kolyer – Grants Manager, SETI Institute

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Piece Description

We are all Martians … or could be, if, billions of years ago, Red Plant microbes fell to Earth and eventually evolved to us. Okay, that one’s a big “if.” But microbes can survive space travel. Meet the NASA officer whose task is to keep Earth, Mars – and the entire solar system –safe from hitchhiking bacteria.

And, even if we’re not Martians (darn!), did life once thrive on the Red Planet … and does it still today?

Plus, why meteorites may be happy habitats for life.

Guests:

• Catharine Conley – NASA planetary protection officer

• Chris McKay – Planetary scientist, NASA Ames Research Center

• Paul Davies – Director of the BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University

• Aaron Burton – Astrobiologist, NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center

• Debbie Kolyer – Grants Manager, SETI Institute

Broadcast History

new episode

Additional Files

Listing - To Earth and Back (To_Earth_and_Back.docx)

Additional Credits

Seth Shostak – Host and Producer
Molly Bentley – Co-Host and Executive Producer
Gary Niederhoff – Producer
Barbara Vance – Production Assistant
Jay Weiler – Volunteer
Tanya Lewis - Intern