Penelope Boston, a NASA microbiologist, and Janna Levin, an astrophysicist and science communicator, dive into the intriguing world of extremophiles. They discuss how organisms thriving in extreme environments, like caves, could inform our search for alien life. Topics include the unique adaptations of these microbes and the parallels to potential life on Mars. They also explore the ethical implications of sending living beings into space, and the concept of panspermia, suggesting that life could be interconnected across the cosmos.