Humans soaked up the science at the ‘Mars’ event at CU Boulder

A NASA Astronaut, a journalist, an award-winning author, science advisors, a professor, two of the co-stars of the hit TV series “Mars“, and a room full of science geeks raised the IQ vibes in Boulder, CO last night. National Geographic and CU Boulder hosted an advanced screening of season two’s fifth episode of National Geographic’s acclaimed series “Mars” Dec. 4, 2019. Plenty of America’s future leaders were packed into that room with hands raised for answers to incredibly sharp, technical, and engaging questions. It was a group of all ages that were thirsting for knowledge.

Dr. Robert Braun set the tone by admitting that he was a Martian and welcomed all other Martians in the audience. Excitement set in with the news that they would be the first to watch episode five of “Mars” called ‘Power Play. In fact, this room at the College of Engineering and Applied Science as packed with humans from all over the Denver area. Many were CU students, plenty were fans of the show, and all prepared with questions for the panelists.

Science and stars mixed for a riveting panel discussion following the screening.

• Bobby Braun, MARS scientific advisor and Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science at CU Boulder.
  Allie Anderson, assistant professor, Ann, and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences.
• Evan Hall (Orange is the New Black, The Following) as Shep Master, the wildcard of the Lukrum Mining Colony crew.
• Kjell N. Lindgren, NASA Astronaut and University of Colorado Alumnus.
• Antonia Juhasz, author, journalist and leading oil and energy expert; MARS scientific advisor featured in Episode 5.
• Stephen Petranek, award-winning journalist and author of How We’ll Live on Mars, upon which the series is based (Co-Executive Producer, Scientific Advisor and Big Thinker).
• Sammi Rotibi (Batman v Superman, Django Unchained) as Robert Foucault, IMSF’s roboticist and mechanical engineer who is responsible for the construction of Olympus Town colony.
• Shankini Doraisingam, professional research assistant, BioServe Space Technologies Center (BST), Silver Snoopy award winner.

The panel talked about how we already have the technical capabilities to go to Mars, and that money was a key ingredient. How We’ll Live on Mars author Stephen Petranek was concerned about Mars is going to treat in the future. Would it be treated as a scientific partner or hurt by the inevitable commercialization would take over. Russian and Chinese space programs all say they’re going to Mars, and space was quickly becoming a business.

NASA Astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren was very popular during the discussion. He was the only human in the room that had actually lived in space. Lindgren spent half a year on the International Space Station and had a lot to say about the possibilities and challenges facing us going to Mars. He joked that living on the ISS was kind of like camping: “you don’t have running water and you wear the same pair of pants for six months”. That said he talked about what it would be like physically and mentally to be gone for three years without having the Earth to look at. Lindgren talked about wrapping a mind around the scope of it all. Lindgren talked about wrapping a mind around the scope of it all and encouraged everyone to look up to find one of the brightest objects in the sky, the ISS, and know that there are six souls on that “star” flying overhead.

Professor Allie Anderson explained what is still needed for our current space suit design to allow a better mobility to walk on planetary services. People were on their seat’s edge with what she had to say.

Actor Evan Hall talked about the scale wrapping his mind around living so far away from everything, let alone acting for the first time in front of a green screen. Scuba diving actually gave Hall a taste of what it would be like an inhospitable world. No doubt he loved his spot being seated next to an actual astronaut and asked him questions!

Antonia Juhasz, who was prominently featured in ‘Power Play’ was asked if we here on Earth have learned or would we repeat our same mistakes on another planet. She actually felt that the length of over 150 years of oil extraction was such a small part of human history. Humans had shifted from thousands of years of sustainable cohabitation with the planet to what is happening now with global warming. She believes that we will not follow the model of drill first and learn the lesson second.

Shankini Doraisingam shared a bit about what it was like to be in a control room communicating with astronauts like Lindgren while experiments were being performed. She mentioned that what needed to improve was the preflight training and the crew compliment’s preparation.

Actor Sammi Rotibi was asked about the challenges of actually settling on Mars, as his character truly came into his own. Rotibi explained how season one was more of like a TV show pilot, and season two is where we truly get to know the characters. We get to know the characters and relate to them…find a connection to these people on Mars and relate to them.

The attendees were glued to the nice big screen on which the popular National Geographic series was presented. The episode’s overall theme was that in 2042 the battle between scientists and corporations has not really changed. For the sake of humanity on Earth and future planets, let us hope that is not true.

“Mars” airs on Mondays, at 9/8c on the National Geographic Channel. Heads up for the Season 2 finale on December 17. Sammi Robtibi mentioned that he looks forward to season 3. Avid fans agree.
For more on ‘Power Play”, check out our rundown of the season 2 episode.