Jim (jazzmanjim) wrote, @ 2004-04-21 23:26:00

Protecting the World, Right Here in the US!
And how can we do this, you ask?

Because we have a Planetary Protection Officer!

This is, easily, the coolest job title I have ever seen, and we have it! And he sits on the UN as the head of (are you ready for more coolness?) The Committee for Space Research! So he's a Scientist and a Protection Officer. He's like the cool scientst in those 1950's sci-fi movies with Tesla Coils and Jacobs' Ladders, and beakers and test tubes and lots and lots of Bunsen Burners all over the place.

Giant Robots! Laser Rays! Defending the Earth from horrible space invasions!

Well, no. No, it's not even close to what he does. But, still, I think that what he does is cool. His job, really, is to make sure that the stuff the US sends into space conforms to certain standards of "cleanliness" so that our bacteria here doesn't unduly contaminate stuff out there. He also makes sure that the stuff we send up that comes back is cleaned up and made safe for Earth.

The latter job isn't such a big deal, but it soon will be, as NASA is working on sending a probe to Mars that will bring back samples. To handle those, he's working on (this just makes me smile with unabashed geeky glee!) a "high-security Martian containment facility."

Wait. I know you just didn't gloss over that phrase. Let's see it again. Take your time with it .Savor the coolness.

A high-security Martian containment facility.

Oh, I do hope they build it right next to Area 51! Please, God, let it happen!!