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What the CraveCast lost and found in space

November was a whirl of space news, and on this month's show we couldn't get enough of epic sexy math, Twitter's contribution to world space programs and the truth about ancient Mars.

Kelsey Adams Senior copy editor / Reviews
CNET senior copy editor and contributor Kelsey Adams was raised by computer programmers and writers, so she communicates best by keyboard. Loves genre fiction, RPGs, action movies; has long, fraught relationship with comics. Come talk to her on Twitter.
Kelsey Adams
4 min read

"Rosetta's comet is singing, and it sounds like Predator."

Beautiful. There's been so much astronomical news this month that we had a second space-themed CraveCast. (Check out the first space episode for more on the eerie sounds of space.)

The Rosetta mission has been covered on CNET pretty extensively. CraveCast host Eric Mack is impressed that the Rosetta project's long journey started when he was 14 and so much was accomplished using only the technology of the time. Note: that's the same year "Saved by the Bell" ended. We're all pretty willing to believe the Philae lander is a repurposed 1990s cell phone.

Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

Having carried out its delivery mission, the Rosetta spacecraft is still circling the comet, gathering information, while we wait to find out if the Philae lander will ever wake up again.

The lander, whose official account tweeted its gallant last words, joins a number of anthropomorphized rovers and robots sending lonely messages from space: Jade Rabbit, Curiosity, Kirobo, even Hello Kitty (OK, she's not dying. Maybe. Twist: she was dead all along.) My question is, what happens when these bots pick up each others' signals and link up into a network? Like Skynet, only they'll guilt the human race into submission?

But Bonnie Burton went with the more optimistic model of Match.com. Lonely no more! That's what she wants to see from scientists too: more hugging. Let her know if there's a Tumblr. She also felt " Interstellar" needs more optimism, and to be shorter. I'll just judge it without seeing it: the plot sounds pretty standard and I'm not sure why people are making a big deal out of it. Eric found the movie more interesting than that -- as did Neil DeGrasse Tyson -- but I don't think any of us are buying the infinite ticket.

So if we aren't heading out through a wormhole anytime soon, where next? Crave's Amanda Kooser, who sadly couldn't be on the show this month, asked CNET readers in a Friday Poll, and the clear winner was a manned mission to Mars. Bonnie points out that if the movies have taught us anything, it's that Mars is a good place to get killed. (Wait, MIT students taught us that too.)

Eric finally got Bonnie onboard with his pitch that ""="" shortcode="link" asset-type="article" uuid="e40384b6-ead3-4496-afdb-007e61960ada" slug="game-of-thrones-could-be-set-on-ancient-mars-science-says" link-text="Mars could be the true setting of " section="news" title="Could 'Game of Thrones' be set on ancient Mars?" edition="us" data-key="link_bulk_key" api="{"id":"e40384b6-ead3-4496-afdb-007e61960ada","slug":"game-of-thrones-could-be-set-on-ancient-mars-science-says","contentType":null,"edition":"us","topic":{"slug":"sci-tech"},"metaData":{"typeTitle":null,"hubTopicPathString":"Sci-Tech","reviewType":null},"section":"news"}"> because of its lengthy warming and freezing cycle. I don't buy this at all, since the dead sea bottoms of Mars -- or rather, Barsoom -- are already full up with banths and thoats and no one knows what I'm talking about, do they? Fine. That's fine. Anyway, Stephen Beacham tossed up the theory that we came from Mars originally, which at least would explain this book. Just kidding. Nothing explains that book. (Though: relevant.)

Philae lands on a comet (pictures)

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In case anyone's curious about that last piece of planetary news we were trying to remember: Astronomers Thrilled by Extreme Storms on Uranus. Yep. Apparently it's been unusually active lately.

We rounded out the show by watching the "Star Wars" version of that recent video showing a woman experiencing urban street harassment, only the stoic walker is Princess Leia. What do you think, harmless humor or making light of a serious issue? All I have to say is: Oh, Lando. Lando.

Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

And since Wookiee Life Day is November 17, we talked about the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special and learned fun facts from former Lucasfilm stalwart Bonnie: like, you can get versions with commercials from different regions, even the UK. And there's a separate Richard Pryor cantina skit using the same props and costumes. For real though? We also discovered that Bonnie makes friends start with the Holiday Special if they've never seen the series since it'll all get better from there -- a diabolical piece of strategy that deserves its own name, like Machete order. Suggestions welcome.

Also, earlier this month I celebrated my first N7 Day as a full-fledged Mass Effect fan (I've finished the first game), so if you're like half my colleagues and love to talk about the game, stop on by.

From a robot-attended cruise and flying car to biodegradable drones and cyborg roaches to a prototype hoverboard and fold-up electric bike to holograms in QR codes, we've been talking about the future so much lately that the December CraveCast may be future-themed, though I think we should throw in the past as well so there'll be more excuse to talk about things like Underoos for adults (we compared which ones we used to own in the after-show) and the silliest-looking prehistoric creatures.

But if you've got a better idea, hit up @EricCMack on Twitter. He'll probably welcome any excuse to stop watching Too Many Cooks.

Watch this: Space just became cool again on the CraveCast, Ep. 7