April 9, 2010: Astrobiology and Astronaut Training - David Grinspoon

Art Bell is joined by planetary scientist Dr. David Grinspoon, curator of astrobiology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and a recipient of the Carl Sagan Medal. The conversation ranges from the likelihood of extraterrestrial life to the private space travel revolution, with Grinspoon noting that the discovery of billions of exoplanets has transformed alien life from speculation into statistical probability. He argues that any intelligent species humanity encounters will almost certainly be far more advanced.

Grinspoon shares his own experience undergoing astronaut training for upcoming private low-Earth orbit missions and discusses the rapid growth of commercial spaceflight through companies like Virgin Galactic. He describes his scientific work modeling climates on Venus, Mars, and Titan, highlighting the recent discovery of active volcanoes on Venus and the strange Earth-like hydrology of Titan, where liquid methane flows in rivers and pools into lakes.

The discussion turns to global warming, with Grinspoon affirming that the science behind climate change remains solid despite the email controversy. He also weighs in on the ethics of terraforming Mars, the debate over active SETI versus passive listening, and the philosophical question of whether humanity should consider itself alone in a universe teeming with potential neighbors.