The Atlantic Across America: New Mexico
Whether using radio telescopes or observatories made out of stone, people in New Mexico have long looked to the sky for guidance, meaning, and connection. Following a tour of the “Makowa: The Worlds Above Us” exhibit at the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, join The Atlantic in Santa Fe on Wednesday, January 28, for a conversation with the exhibit’s curators, Elisabeth Stone and Marlon Magdalena, moderated by The Atlantic managing editor Andrea Valdez. Then hear from planetary scientist Nina Lanza and Atlantic staff writers Ross Andersen and Caity Weaver as they explore our evolving relationship with the cosmos and the search for life beyond our world.
The case for Mars terraforming research in Nature Astronomy
Erika Alden DeBenedictis, Edwin S. Kite, Robin D. Wordsworth, Nina L. Lanza, Charles S. Cockell, Pamela A. Silver, Ramses M. Ramirez, John Cumbers, Hooman Mohseni, Christopher E. Mason, Woodward W. Fischer & Christopher P. McKay
The case for Mars terraforming research. Nat Astron 9, 634–639 (2025).
Abstract
(from Nature Astronomy)
“Terraforming Mars has long captured the imagination but has received surprisingly little rigorous study. Progress in Mars science, climate science, launch capabilities and bioscience motivates a fresh look at Mars terraforming research. Since Sagan’s time, it has been understood that terraforming Mars would involve warming to enable oxygenic photosynthesis by engineered microbes, followed by slow oxygen build-up enabling more complex life. Before we can assess whether warming Mars is worthwhile, relative to the alternative of leaving Mars as a pristine wilderness, we must confront the practical requirements, cost and possible risks. Here we discuss what we know about Mars’s volatile inventories and soil composition, and possible approaches to warm Mars and increase atmospheric O2. New techniques have emerged that could raise Mars’s average global temperature by tens of degrees within a few decades. Research priorities include focusing on understanding fundamental physical, chemical and biological constraints that will shape any future decisions about Mars. Such research would drive advances in Mars exploration, bioscience and climate modelling.”
No Ordinary Monday Podcast (Episode 1) Chris Baron interviews Nina Lanza on “Mars, Lasers and the Search for Alien Life”
Mars, Lasers and the Search for Alien Life
From the episode description:
Dr. Nina Lanza is a planetary scientist who leads the laser instrument on NASA’s Curiosity rover — literally shooting rocks on Mars to uncover its secrets. In this episode, she shares how a space-obsessed kid with average grades ended up working on one of the most ambitious missions in space exploration.
From the nerve-racking “seven minutes of terror” during Curiosity’s landing to the thrill of searching for ancient life, Nina gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it really means to explore another planet — and why relentless curiosity can take you further than you think.
Chatting with Dr. Tanya Harrison on PBS
I had a blast chatting with my good friend Dr. Tanya Harrison, who’s writing for PBS Terra on a new series called “Uncharted Expeditions”! This segment is about how the isolated environments found the Antarctic can help us understand the challenges we will face on deep space expeditions. As you’ll see, Tanya has a real knack for getting to the heart of a story. Note that I filmed on location from the Holiday Inn Express in Iquique, Chile (hence the uninspired background).
A Few Photos from Chile
Just a few quick snaps from our time doing fieldwork in Chile. The Atacama is truly the most Mars-like place on Earth! I feel like I’ve learned so much about how to interpret our rover data from spending time in this remarkable environment.
And check out this sulfate outcrop…. If my foot weren’t in there, you might think it was a workspace image from Curiosity.
These sulfate veins look just like what we see in Gale crater!
Dr. Nina Lanza
Dr. Nina Lanza is the Team Lead for Space and Planetary Exploration in Space and Remote Sensing (ISR-2) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. She is the Principal Investigator for the ChemCam instrument onboard the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover and a science team member for the SuperCam instrument onboard the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. Her current research focuses on understanding the origin and nature of manganese minerals on Mars and how they may serve as potential biosignatures. Dr. Lanza has authored or coauthored 50 peer-reviewed publications, including two first-author book chapters. Read full bio.
