This video is slightly longer than the ones I usually post on the blog, but I hope you find the subject as fascinating as I do. Interestingly enough, it comes from a documentary made by Carl Sagan - a professor at Cornell University (of which I am an alumnus), and was first aired nearly 30 years ago. Nevertheless, the ideas discussed in the documentary, like terraforming, are very current, and Mr. Sagan was certainly ahead of his time. He was my hero when I was a teenager, and I applied to Cornell with dreams of meeting him some day (more on this in class). Listen to the video and answer the questions that follow. I think the subtitles should help, but only use them as a last resort!
1. Vishniac's machine to detect life on Mars was removed from the Viking mission because NASA is especially vulnerable ______________________________________.
2. Vishniac decided to use his machine to detect life in Antarctica because it is the most ________________________________________________.
3. In November 1973 Vishniac was left in __________________________________________-
4. Vishniac left camp on Dec. 10th to _____________________________________________, but never returned.
5. Carl Sagan says there will be a time when Mars is thoroughly explored. He feels that if there is life on Mars, then _______________________________________.
6. If there is no life on Mars, however, Sagan envisions something called _________________________, which is the process of rendering Mars suitable to human existence.
7. The problems Mars poses to human life are (name three):
8. These problems could be solved if we could make_________________________________________.
Discussion questions:
1. If life is discovered on Mars, even if it were a very simple life form such as a microbe, do you agree with Carl Sagan that we should leave it undisturbed? Why or why not? (Maybe in class we can have some of you play devil's advocate).
2. Do you think life in our solar system originated on Earth, or could it have once existed on one of our neighbouring planets?
3. Do you think the terraforming other planets is something you will see in your lifetime? Why or why not? Do you think we already possess this technology on a smaller scale? Explain.
4. Do you think terraforming is the only way our species (homo sapiens) will survive in the distant future? What is the ultimate fate of planet Earth? (What do you know about the evolution of our Sun?).
5. Would you like you children or grandchildren to live on Mars? (Or would you like to yourself?) Why or why not?
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1. Theoretically, we should do what Carl Sagan says, let them to live in their planet but I think that people in power wouldn't do so.
ReplyDelete2. I think that in other planets there should be other ways of life, it is very egocentrical?? to think that we are the only ones in the whole galaxy
3.On the one hand it scares me but on the other hand I'm curious about it and I would like to see it in my lifetime but I think it's very difficult because when the NASA wants to go to Mars they spend years and years planning the travel...
4. In my opinion the Earth won't last forever so maybe it's true that if we want to survive we must start finding other place to live...
6.The same that I said on 3... on the one hand no because it scares me and it is very dangerous but on the other hand wouldn't it be a great experience??? hehe
Off-topic: I see that you have followed my advice with the youtube videos... hehe
Yes, of course - but I wouldn't exactly call myself "techie," not just yet - but there's still hope for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat comment, BTW!