Cosmic Journeys Season 1 Episode 4 Mars: A World That Never Was

In Cosmic Journeys season 1 episode 4, titled "Mars: A World That Never Was," viewers are taken on a journey through the history of Mars and its harsh and unforgiving landscape. The episode explores the many questions that have fascinated scientists for years, including the possibility that the planet was once home to life forms.

The episode begins by examining the red planet through the eyes of the Viking program, which was the first mission to successfully land on the surface of Mars in the 1970s. Through the use of drones, the mission explored the Martian landscape, providing a better understanding of the planet's geological history.

The show then turns to the story of Percival Lowell, an American astronomer who spent his entire career trying to prove that Mars was inhabited by intelligent beings. He constructed an observatory in Arizona and spent many years peering through his telescopes searching for evidence of life on Mars. Despite his best efforts, he failed to provide any conclusive evidence.

Viewers are then taken through the many challenges that NASA faced in attempting to tackle the Martian mission. They must overcome technical difficulties including debris on the planet's surface, harsh weather conditions, and mountains as tall as Mount Everest. The episode also touches on the many failed missions that were launched in the 90s, providing a sense of just how difficult it is to explore the red planet.

The show then turns to the recent Mars mission, the Mars Science Laboratory, which landed on the planet's surface in 2012. The mission was designed to explore the Gale Crater, which scientists believe held a lake millions of years ago. The land-roving Curiosity machine moves into action examining the planet's rocks and soils in search of signs of life.

An important aspect of the episode is to speculate on why Mars didn't develop a thriving ecosystem as Earth did despite having the potential in the early years of its formation. Compared to Earth, Mars is of a smaller size and lacks a magnetic field surrounding its atmosphere. It is also further away from the sun and with a thin atmosphere making it highly exposed to radiation from cosmic particles. These factors are believed to have led to the inability of Mars to sustain an ecosystem.

The episode concludes by painting a picture of future expeditions to the red planet, exploring the possibility of travelling to Mars in preparation for future colonization. Cosmic Journeys "Mars: A World That Never Was" provides an exciting and informative insight into the complexities and mysteries surrounding the planet. The episode provides context to the exploration of Mars and, in doing so, serves as a reminder of the immense challenges in exploring deep space.