At the turn of the 20th century, one American became obsessed with the idea of life on Mars, and carried his obsessions into a public movement that may have sparked actual space exploration and scientific advancement.

• Guest: David Baron, an author, journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who writes about astronomy and other sciences. His latest book is “The Martians: A True Story of an Alien Craze that Captured Turn-of-the-Century America.” 
• Producer: Alex Tighe