Mars

Have you ever looked up and spotted a bright red dot in the night sky? That’s Mars — our neighbor in the solar system, and a planet full of mysteries. On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we journey to the Red Planet with planetary volcanologist Dr. Larry Crumpler from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. He works directly with NASA’s Perseverance Rover, which is exploring Mars right now! Find the full episode page and learning guide at https://childrenshour.org/mars We learn why Mars is red, discover its enormous volcanoes and deep canyons, and find out what makes it similar to Earth. Dr. Crumpler explains how rovers land, what they do once they’re there, and how they help us look for signs of life. We hear about Mars’ two tiny moons, its wild dust storms, and why it’s so dry. You’ll also discover how scientists might make oxygen on Mars and what it would take to send people there in the future. Our Kids Crew wonders if there’s life on Mars, how rovers survive the cold, and what the first humans might find. With music about space and plenty of questions, this show is your ticket to an out-of-this-world adventure. Find pictures, links, and learning materials for classrooms and families at ChildrensHour.org — look for “Mars.” This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Chad Sheer was our recording engineer at Outpost Performance Space, and Amber Schiel writes our learning guides. Our theme music is by C.K. Barlow. The Children’s Hour is distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network. © 2025 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.