Team:Brown-Stanford/SynEthics/Videos/ChrisMcKay

Dr. Chris McKay is a renowned planetary scientist based at NASA Ames Research Center. His research interests include planetary atmospheres, including Mars, and the origin and evolution of life. He has been featured in numerous science documentaries, and is a dedicated speaker and writer on issues of human space exploration.

(0:06) What are your thoughts on the proliferation of terrestrial organisms on Mars?
Dr. McKay outlines different scenarios regarding the presence of life on Mars, and emphasizes the importance of resolving the origin of possible Martian life before we proceed to permanently alter Mars.

(1:06) On the issue of contamination and reversibility
Dr. McKay explains why contamination is an exponential problem, and why our impact on Mars must be reversible for the time being.

(2:57) What is the practical reason for protecting Martian life?
Dr. McKay outlines a utilitarian argument for preserving Martian life, based on the practical value of learning more about diverse lifeforms.

(7:13) What is an ethical reason for protecting Martian life?
Dr. McKay expresses his opinion that preserving the richness and diversity of life in the universe is ends an should value richness and diversity of life in the universe

(8:25) Should we respect the intrinsic value of alien life?
Dr. McKay describes how an intrinsic value for life can be interpreted as non-interference in the universe but disagrees. He emphasizes the importance of understanding context and consequences before intervening on other planets.

(10:44) How can we rule out the possibility of life on Mars?
Dr. McKay outlines a simple test that, in his opinion, would satisfactorily prove the absence of life.

(12:23) Can Mars serve as a "lifeboat" for humanity?
Dr. McKay finds the idea of extraterrestrial settlements as “lifeboats” to be ethically and practically problematic. He emphasizes that failure is not an option on Earth, and that synthetic biology should also be used as a means to protect our own planet.