In the first half, professor Jim Bell commemorated the upcoming 56th anniversary of the Apollo Moon landing by discussing the current state of lunar exploration, as well as the potential for missions to Mars. Reflecting on the past, Bell expressed nostalgia for a time when space exploration was a national priority, pointing out that the space race was largely fueled by competition during the Cold War. "We went to the moon to beat the commies... It was political. It was national pride," he stated. He emphasized the importance of the US maintaining a leadership role in space, asserting, "NASA is the best brand we have in the world. It's an ambassador for American leadership, American innovation, and inspiration."
Dr. Bell underscored the necessity of using the Moon as a stepping stone for future Mars missions, explaining, "We need our deep space legs again." He argued that establishing a lunar base could facilitate more ambitious missions, making Mars more accessible. However, he also acknowledged the challenges of terraforming Mars. "Engineering an entire planetary ecosystem... is not something we're ready for," he admitted.
On the topic of asteroid mining, Dr. Bell clarified that current efforts are focused more on prospecting for resources rather than actual mining, which he described as still being in the realm of science fiction. "We need to learn how to extract minerals... in airless, almost gravityless worlds," he elaborated. Looking to the future of human exploration, Dr. Bell said he would be greatly disappointed if a Mars mission did not come to fruition. "It would be great for the human species... I know what NASA is capable of," he said, believing America must make a unified national effort to achieve such goals.
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In the second half, Andrea Perron, whose family's experiences inspired the film The Conjuring, discussed the haunting events that took place at their Rhode Island farmhouse in the 1970s. Perron detailed the history of the property, specifically its colonial roots and the numerous tragic events that occurred in the area. "The truth was stranger than fiction," she insisted, and lamented that many of the more intense incidents were omitted from The Conjuring for fear of scaring audiences away. She recaller her mother Carolyn's poignant remark: "We could leave the farmhouse, but the farmhouse would never leave us."
The Warrens, famed paranormal investigators, entered the scene in 1973, drawn to the family's plight after hearing dark rumors. Perron shared Lorraine Warren's chilling first impression when she said, "I sense a malignant spirit in this house. Her name is Bathsheba." One particularly traumatic event Perron recounted was a seance conducted in their home. She described the moment her mother was seemingly possessed, recalling, "My mother's chair lifted off the floor... and when we heard her head strike that floor, we all thought we had just seen her die."
Speaking about the film, Perron explained that the studio executives deemed certain truths too intense for audiences. However, she noted that the movie still captured the essence of their ordeal—"Love conquers fear, good conquers evil." She stated, "It wasn't a horror story; it was a love story with a wicked supernatural twist... It changed my life forever."
News segment guests: Douglas Mulhall, Kevin Randle
