The Martian

First, a quick mostly spoiler-free tidbit about The Martian for folks who don’t know: It’s about an astronaut stranded on Mars who has to find a way to grow his own food to survive until he can be rescued. Since Mars is an arid planet where, as Watney puts it, “nothing grows,” he must “science the poop” out of his circumstances to make water and grow a crop.

Yestgerday, however, NASA announced that new evidence shows actual liquid water might be present on the Red Planet. Whoops!

The social media team for The Martian quickly responded to the news today with the this tweet and video, which cuts together the announcement from NASA’s planetary science head, Jim Green, with Watney/Matt Damon’s wry “Surprise!” from the film. It was a fun, smart reaction. But does today’s news blow The Martian’s plot, well, out of the water?

Room For Debate:  A New Space Race or Chance to Collaborate?

Rock Star Pope

What if I were to tell you that Pope Francis used to be a 'Metal Head?!'

Who is the 'Rock Star Pope' really?

Refugee Crisis

"no one leaves home unless

home is the mouth of a shark.

you have to understand,

no one puts their children in a boat

unless the water is safer than the land."

These lines from the poem "Home", by Somali-British poet Warsan Shire, brings home the stark reality of the horrifying decisions refugee parents must make.

As millions of Syrian migrants stream into Europe, the Obama Administration has announced that the United States will be taking in 10,000 refugees.

1) Is this a mistake?  

2) Are these Immigrants a great threat?  

3) What more can we do to help? Should we? 

Remembering Katrina

Has anything ever happened in your life that if it wouldn't have happened you wouldn't be where you are today? What was it and how would your life be different?  How would you start over?

Hurricane Katrina affected millions of people across the Gulf Coast in August of 2005. New Orleans lost half of its population after the devastating hurricane, dropping to 250,000 residents. As of last count, 1/5 of the population still hasn’t returned, close to 100,000 people. On the 10th Anniversary of Katrina, it is time for the stories of these displaced Americans to be told.ri Filmmaker Rennik Soholt has documented what’s happened to five people forced to change their lives overnight because of Katrina.

What are the lessons we have learned since the tragedy?

Would we be better prepared if  another 'Katrina'  happened today?