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CNN Sunday Morning

Life on Mars; Closer Than You Think

Aired July 15, 2001 - 09:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: And life on Mars; it's a lot closer than you think. Actually, scientists are trying to simulate life on Mars here on earth, and specifically on a remote Canadian island north of the Arctic Circle. And CNN, of course, is planning to be there, as we plan to be everywhere we can. Space correspondent Miles O'Brien and producer Linda Sater (ph) are now traveling to Resolute Bay in the Northwest Territories. I think that's where they are, and they will then from there travel on to Devon Island, a little more than 100 miles away.

There, two separate camps are set up in a barren crater. Scientists are planning to simulate space walks and practice robotics and all the while trying to stay warm. And let's get a preview, once again, from CNN's Miles O'Brien who is on the phone with us now from Resolute Bay. Hi, Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Brian. I guess you can think of this as space camp on steroids. This is the real deal. It's an awful lot like Mars, but not quite there yet.

NELSON: What is the purpose of this whole thing? I mean, they're trying to simulate life on Mars? Many people are going to say, well, that presumes there is going to be a space mission, a manned mission to Mars. Are they -- is that coming up, or is this just protective, far reach thinking, here?

O'BRIEN: It's some far reach thinking, some enthusiastic thinking, some optimistic thinking. But right now, NASA is not spending a dime I should say officially on a Mars piloted program. There are some unofficial projects that are working off in the fringes of other programs, where some scientists are working on some ideas which might have some application one day for a Mars mission, but there is no Mars manned program for NASA.

And so everything that is done here is definitely on spec, shall we say. Nevertheless, these people are enthusiasts and they believe this is the way to push along the scientific community and maybe someday soon the political community, that is to say the president would have to stand-up and give a speech and say "We choose to go to Mars."

NELSON: Now, I've traveled in that region myself years ago, and it is barren. But the place where you're going, you say resembles the landscape on Mars. Why don't you tell us how. O'BRIEN: Well, it is a cold, dry dessert, which is a good way to describe Mars. Of course, the atmosphere on Mars is a little bit different than ours. We can't breathe the atmosphere there. But it is rocky and dry and if you look at the panorama, you might very well conclude that there is not a bit of life there.

Well, if you start turning over rocks and digging beneath the surface a little bit, you find a little bit of lichen and a few things that are growing. And suddenly you say to yourself, well maybe that could be the case on Mars.

And so the idea is to come up with some experiments that would allow remote space craft as well as people, maybe, one day, to find that life, wherever it might be hiding.

Of course, the one thing you don't get on Mars that you get up here are polar bars.

NELSON: Have you seen one yet? Let me ask the question, Miles.

O'BRIEN: One of the first things we asked as we got off the plane here in Resolute is how are the polar bear sightings. They said we've seen them quite a bit this season. We personally haven't laid eyes on one. I promise you, we'll have a sighting and we'll capture it on tape and share it with you this week.

NELSON: All right. Walk tall and carry a big stick, Miles. CNN's Miles O'Brien. He's in Resolute Bay up in the Canadian arctic.

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