Four months spent 'on Mars' is a quick trip compared to the complete 2-year journey that would be required of astronauts heading to the Red Planet. However, I'm sure that the 6 selected participants will feel the strain of such a lifestyle every so often. Before deciding to apply, I asked myself if there was anything I absolutely could not live without for four months that should keep me from submitting my application. While I couldn't think of anything of that magnitude, I was able to come up with some items that I'd certainly miss (but, ultimately can live without IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE).
My Top 20 Things I'll Miss:
- Family
- Friends
- Freedom to Travel
- Vegetarianism
- Sunshine on my skin
- Long, hot showers
- Animals
- Crock Pot? If the Mars kitchen isn't equipped with a slow cooker I will be quite sad.
- Forests
- Hiking
- Mountains
- The Ocean (and it'll be so close, yet so far!)
- Having my own room
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
- Direct contact with people (5-20 min delay on all communications)
- My own kitchen, stocked with what I want to eat/snack upon
- Streams
- A fully equipped lab and greenhouse
- Food choice
- A private life, outside of work
A lot of the things that make this list, I already miss. Graduate school in the desert certainly has many, many perks, but I'm finding myself missing going for a hike in the woods and stumbling upon a stream. I can't think of anything more delightful to do once I graduate. I'll take a nap in the sun and then turn over rocks to observe critters.
If selected, I'll be very eager to see how this list of predictions holds up to what I actually end up yearning for the most.
If selected, I'll be very eager to see how this list of predictions holds up to what I actually end up yearning for the most.
* * *
As an EXTRA ADDED BONUS, I found this short talk by Kim Binsted! Dr Binsted is one of the co-PIs for the Hi-SEAS project. Last week, she tweeted a link to this talk that was recorded at The Green House Innovation Hub in Honolulu, HI. Be sure to check out the other presentations, but if you grow impatient, the Hi-SEAS talk starts about 30 minutes into the clip. My favorite part is when she says that they'd only expected 50 applications (remember, there were 700)! I also would LOVE to have a better view of the slide with the guinea pig that outlines some of the other aspects they'll be monitoring. I see sleep!
Questions of The Day:
What would you miss if you traveled to Mars?
What did you think of Kim Binsted's talk? Was her summary of the project what you expected?
I noticed the internet wasn't on the list...
ReplyDeleteWell, we'd have some semblance of internet at the station, however any communication with 'Earth' would be delayed. Like that scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey with the interview. They talk about conducting it with a 16 minute delay.
Delete