Mars is a world of wonders!

September 24, 2013 8:18 PM

Educators, prepping for World Space Week, Oct 4-10? Be sure to include the very excellent space documentary The Mars Underground in your plans. It's free!

Featuring space science engineer Robert Zubrin (aka founder and president of the highly-regarded Mars space advocacy group The Mars Society as well as acclaimed author of "the book that changed Sagan's mind about Mars", The Case for Mars, and oh you may know him from the popular Symphony of Science music video, "The Case for Mars" with Carl Sagan, Brian Cox and Penelope Boston), the updated 74-minute, 2011 documentary is one of the best and most engaging science films freely available for viewing. Perfect for two classroom sessions ...and to inspire your students about science, Mars, and space!

Oh! And don't forget your handy World Space Week Heinlein Teacher Guide. Provided in seven languages!

posted by humannaire (4 comments total)

I'm very interested in our study of Mars. I am surprised by how few people are aware of Curiosity, the most recent and most advanced Mars rover. It launched on my birthday too!

I have a CADD work in progress of Curiosity
posted by A Renaming Licence Eh at 4:49 PM on September 25, 2013

This movie presents Zubrin in his most annoying History Channel evangelism mode, eager as ever to not make a convincing argument in favor of human space flight. At the 39 min mark, he assesses NASA's more or less current mission in negative terms, without realizing the same exact criticism applies to his Mars Direct plan. The Case for Mars outlines an exhaustively plausible means for reaching the planet, yet can only muster a feeble case for the mission, couched in hand-wavey, near apocalyptic terms, making the endeavor sound more like a religious devotion than scientific accomplishment. Yet again, I get the feeling that the gods have failed these worshipers of space flight, and they are increasingly desperate for an event to shore up the old faith once more.
posted by 2N2222 at 10:28 PM on September 25, 2013

I would agree, there's little reason at the moment for man to visit Mars. It would neat to see, but the price from going from this gravity well to another just doesn't add.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:08 AM on September 29, 2013

I am surprised by how few people are aware of Curiosity, the most recent and most advanced Mars rover.

How can people not know (and LOVE) Curiosity?
posted by Mezentian at 4:55 AM on October 1, 2013