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Author Stephen Petranek makes the case that humans will live on Mars in the not-too-distant future. He explains how and when this might happen — and what risks those who head there first might face.

Aerospace engineer Jeremy Kasdin explains how two new NASA reports hold promise for those hoping to detect habitable planets orbiting nearby stars — and might even see the launch of the “starshade” occulter.

Humans are off to live on Mars. At least, that’s the case journalist Stephen Petranek makes in his TED Book, “How We’ll Live on Mars.” According to Petranek, the move is no less than an “essential back-up plan for humanity.” Here, he shares just some of the factors those who make the first trip will have to manage.

Dark, isolated and largely unexplored, caves help astronauts prepare to do extra-terrestrial science