March 5, 2004, Hour One: Water on Mars? / Genetically Engineered Organisms / Spring Sky

Science Friday > Archives > 2004 > March > March 5, 2004:
Hour One: Water on Mars? / Genetically Engineered Organisms / Spring Sky

NASA announced this week that the rover Opportunity is exploring a crater on Mars that was once soaked with water--the most convincing evidence yet of the planet's warm, wet past. Though the question of whether that water may have supported life remains, it certainly improves the odds-- to the point that one British bookmaker this week stopped taking bets on whether there was once life on the Red Planet. We'll talk with the leader of the science team for the rover mission about the find.

Then, we'll turn our attention to genetically engineered organisms. Researchers are investigating many different kinds of genetically-modified organisms, from plants that make their own pesticides, to faster-growing fish. We'll talk about the safety of such research, and what can be done to ensure that the environment is protected.

Finally, we'll get a rundown of the spring highlights in the sky.What's in the astronomical outlook for the months ahead? Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern), and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).

Guests:
Steve Squyres
Principal Investigator for the science payload, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission
Professor, Astronomy
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

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Allison Snow
Professor, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio

C. S. Prakash
Professor, Plant Molecular Genetics
Director, Center for Plant Biotechnology Research
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, Alabama

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Bob Berman
Author, "Strange Universe"
Astronomy magazine's "Strange Universe" columnist
Discover Magazine's astronomy columnist
Adjunct Professor, Astronomy
Marymount Manhattan College
Director, Overlook Observatory
Willow, New York

This segment produced by Karin Vergoth

Archived Audio:
Mars
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Genetically Engineered Organisms
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sky watching
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