Is there a virtual Mars in our future? What have we learned about the utility of virtual worlds, specifically the Second Life platform?

http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/01/13060764-is-there-a-virtual-mars-in-our-future?lite

Cosmic Log's Alan Boyle explore the often-volatile landscape of science, politics and policy.

George Djorgovski: Professor of Astronomy; Co-Director of the Center for Advanced Computing Research at Caltech; Director of the Meta-Institute for Computational Astrophysics; a founder of the Virtual Observatory concept; and one-time Chair of the US Nat'l Virtual Observatory Science Definition Team.