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Schiaparelli and Lowell were pivotal figures in the history of modern Martian astronomy, one for his solid approach to his subject as a science, the other for his imaginative flights which, although diverging from strictly scientific methods, laid the groundwork for much good science fiction, and a lasting popular interest in Mars. The student is encouraged to find the human face behind the science. This face is often completely lost in the arcane language and lengthily technical developments encountered in the classroom of the technical paper. Science is, first and foremost, a human enterprise. The student who does not have and/or take the opportunity specifically to see this aspect of science is most definitely at a great loss.
The Mariner and Viking missions to Mars were the first of their kind in human history. The student is encouraged to see these missions as major landmarks in the advancement of science in general and human exploration of Mars in particular. While Viking was equipped to search for life on Mars, the presence or absence of life remains undetermined. Recent discoveries tend to encourage positive thinking about the reality past Martian life. Whether Mars is alive today remains to be seen, if not by robotic landers and rovers, then by the humans who will surely set foot on the Red Planet one day.
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