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In this episode we return to the theme of Planetary Protection, continuing the conversation we started in episodes 19 and 20 where we discussed the return of samples from Asteroid Bennu to Earth in NASA’s recent OSIRIS Rex mission. There we talked about what measures were taken to protect the biosphere of Earth from any unforeseen biological agents that such a sample may harbor, hearkening back to the plot of Michael Crichton’s famous novel 'The Andromeda Strain'. In this episode we continue down this road with science fiction author Edward M. Lerner, this time contemplating the difficulties and dangers inherent in a return of samples from Mars to Earth, in his new novel 'Life and Death on Mars'. We discuss the difference between samples from asteroids and samples from Mars, and contemplate the possible existence of life on Mars along with the various possible consequences of its interaction with life on Earth. We also talk about the international collaborative efforts in the space station and the return to the Moon, how the Moon can act as a stepping stone in the race to Mars, what resources can form the basis of an economy and permanent presence on Mars, using a Mars base to exploit the mineral wealth of the asteroid belt, and imagine what may become the next space race after Mars.

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