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Unless you've been living under a big red Martian rock, you've likely heard that NASA's Mars Sample Return mission is in trouble. The robotic program has its roots in the 1960s, when NASA started thinking about sending robots to fetch Mars soil even before Mariner 4's first flyby of the planet. The Russians pondered it as well, as the Chinese and Japanese are today. The problem? It's really hard, with multiple spacecraft, possibly on different launches, rendezvousing around the Red Planet to accomplish. And then there are the concerns about the safety of returning possible pathogens to Earth (that said, I could use an extra tentacle). But the showstopper, as usual, is cost—and NASA's not happy. We invited the original Space Ace reporter, Leonard David, to join the discussion.

Headlines:

NASA gives green light to Dragonfly, a nuclear-powered helicopter mission to Saturn's moon Titan, set to launch in 2028 and arrive in 2034
New images from the Perseverance rover reveal the crash site of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, showing scattered debris and broken rotor blades
NASA continues to study the Orion spacecraft's heat shield, which experienced more erosion than expected during the Artemis 1 mission, raising concerns for future crewed missions
Main Topic: Mars Sample Return Mission

Leonard David expresses frustration with NASA's recent announcement of significant cost increases and delays for the Mars Sample Return mission
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated that the current estimated cost of $11 billion is too high and called for innovative ideas from industry and academia to reduce costs and accelerate the timeline
They discuss the scientific importance of returning Martian samples to Earth but question whether the current approach is the most effective way to search for life on Mars
Leonard suggests that advancements in miniaturized instruments could allow for more comprehensive life detection experiments directly on the Martian surface, reducing the need for sample return
The conversation touches on the potential for international collaboration and competition in Mars exploration, with China, Japan, and Russia planning their own missions
Rod highlights the critical role of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Mars exploration and expresses concern about the potential loss of expertise if the MSR mission is scaled back or cancelled
The TWiS crew concludes by emphasizing the need for a clear, sustainable strategy for Mars exploration that balances scientific objectives, technological capabilities, and budgetary realities
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Leonard David

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Boston Dynamics introduced a new robot that has caught the attention of many people. How is Microsoft's AI Copilot impacting the coding industry? What are TikTok Notes? And what in the heck are Super Apps?

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins us this episode to discuss Boston Dynamics' introduction of its latest robot, the Atlas, and how it's a vast improvement over its previous robots.
Mikah Sargent talks about how Microsoft's AI Copilot is impacting the coding industry by automating coding aspects and saving engineers time.
Karissa Bell of Engadget joins the show to talk about TikTok's latest experiment, TikTok Notes, and how it is similar to Meta's Instagram.
Finally, Lisa Eadicicco of CNET explains what Super Apps are and why the idea of Super Apps is starting to make news lately.
Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Guests: Karissa Bell and Lisa Eadicicco

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Safari, like any modern web browser, offers support for third-party extensions. In this episode of Hands on Mac, Mikah Sargent walks you through the process of discovering, managing, installing, and using extensions in the Safari browser on macOS Sonoma.

Use Safari extensions on your Mac - https://support.apple.com/en-us/102343

Host: Mikah Sargent

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In a market overflowing with audio content, Lisa breaks down how direct response brands can deploy calls to action that not only grab attention but also foster trust and brand recall. It's about the intricate dance of balancing a unique brand identity with a generous offer that listeners can't ignore—without giving away the store.

Host: Lisa Laporte

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Winbdows 11 comes with a lot of Microsoft apps. This week, Paul runs through the 5 apps you should think about replacing or uninstalling completely.

Host: Paul Thurrott

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Listener Greg Davis finds his center speaker somewhat dull sounding. Is there anything he can do to improve its sound, or is it a result of his hearing loss? Scott Wilkinson tries to help.

Host: Scott Wilkinson

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