The Infinite Monkey Cage teleports to California for this special episode recorded at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They are joined by comedian and talk-show host Conan O'Brien, alongside JPL's Dr Katie Stack Morgan and Dr Kevin Hand, and discuss the incredible missions that are hunting for signs of life within our own solar system. From the iconic Mars Rovers currently exploring the martian surface, to amazing future missions to Jupiter's icy moon Europa, the panel discuss the tantalising prospect of finding signs of life this close to home, and the incredible engineering and ingenuity that goes into planning these missions.Producer: Alexandra Feachem

Kevin Hand, an astrobiologist and planetary scientist, discusses the tantalizing search for extraterrestrial life in our solar system. He highlights the Europa Clipper mission, which aims to explore Jupiter's moon Europa, a potential habitat beneath its icy surface. Hand delves into extreme environments where life could exist, comparing them with Martian subsurface activities. They also explore how past missions, like Voyager, laid the groundwork for today's quest, igniting curiosity about the adaptability of life beyond Earth.

What are the oceans like on Enceladus? Neil deGrasse Tyson explores the oceans of other planets in the search for alien life with planetary scientist Kevin Hand, oceanographer Julie Huber, and comedians, Eugene Mirman, Ellie Kemper, and John Mulaney!NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/extraterrestrial-oceans-startalk-live/Thanks to our Patrons ​​Nate Gilman, Amy Morton, erika brennan, Rob Cordes, Tyler Pitts, Arya Menon, Jessie Desmond, Beth Leitch, Zach, and Karen Berthot for supporting us this week.Photo Credit: Pablo Carlos Budassi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.