What The Solar Eclipse Is Teaching One NASA Scientist About Mars

Published August 29, 2017 at 11:20 AM MDT

Balloons were launched during the eclipse in part to test life's ability to survive Mars-like conditions. Pictured: A practice balloon launch from the Museum of Idaho on Saturday, Aug. 19 with students from UNLV. (NASA)

Last week’s total solar eclipse inspired awe in the millions of people across America who took time out of their day to bask in the shadow of the moon as it passed between Earth and the Sun.

But the Great American Solar Eclipse was also a unique opportunity for planetary scientists studying Mars.

Here & Now‘s Meghna Chakrabarti talks to Jim Green, director of planetary science for NASA, about the Eclipse Ballooning Project, in which dozens of weather balloons carrying metal tags coated with bacteria were sent up into the atmosphere.