This week were learning more about space travel and planetary colonization. Charles Wohlforth discusses his new book, Beyond Earth, and answers questions about humanity and its potential for reaching new worlds. Its a scientific, and economic, examinationat what it would take for humans to leave this planet to explore new worlds and possibly colonize them.

From a leading planetary scientist and an award-winning science writer: a propulsive account of the developments and initiatives that have transformed the dream of space colonization into something that may well be achievable.

We are at the cusp of a golden age in space science, as increasingly more entrepreneurs Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezosare seduced by the commercial potential of human access to space. But BEYOND EARTH by Charles Wohlforth and Amanda R. Hendrix, Ph.D. (Pantheon Books / November 15, 2016 / $27.95) does not offer another wide-eyed technology fantasy: instead, it is grounded not only in the human capacity for invention and the appeal of adventure, but also in the bureaucratic, political, and scientific realities that present obstacles to space travelrealities that have hampered NASAs efforts ever since the Challenger fiasco. In Beyond Earth, the authors offer groundbreaking research and argue persuasively that not Mars, but Titana moon of Saturn with a nitrogen atmosphere, a weather cycle, and an inexhaustible supply of cheap energy, and where we will even be able to fly like birds in the minimal gravitational fieldoffers the most realistic, and thrilling, prospect of life without support from Earth.

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HOST:Alaska World Affairs Council

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RECORDED: Friday, February 03,2017 at theHilton Hotel.

ALASKA WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL ARCHIVE

Eric Bork, or you can just call him Bork because everybody else does, is the FM Content Producer for KSKA-FM. He produces and edits episodes of Outdoor Explorer, Addressing Alaskans, as well as a few other programs. He also maintains the web posts for those shows and many others on alaskapublic.org. You can sometimes hear him filling in for Morning Edition or find him operating the sound board for any of the live broadcast programs. After escaping the Detroit area when he was 18, Bork made it up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he earned a degree in Communications/Radio Broadcasting from Northern Michigan University. He spent time managing the college radio station, working for the local NPR affiliate and then in top 40 radio in Michigan before coming to Alaska to work his first few summers. After then moving to Chicago, it only took five years to convince him to move back to Alaska in 2010. When not involved in great radio programming hes probably riding a bicycle, thinking about riding bicycles, dreaming about bikes, reading a book or planning the next place hell travel to. Only two continents left to conquer!

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Beyond Earth talking about space travel - Alaska Public Radio Network