SETI has had no success since the 1950s. It lost government funding in 1993. It still has had no success. Why is the government throwing tax dollars at it again?
The new Mars InSight lander that launched this morning will be digging for geology, not life. Most likely, as before, it will find lifeless dirt and rock.
Dr Henry Richter, who has contributed articles to CEH, is a VIP at NASA's 60th Anniversary celebration of America's first satellite. *Audio version included.
By capturing solar 'sneezes' of high-energy charged particles, the Van Allen Belts provide a prime example of how the earth and its space environment are designed to allow and protect life.