As Carl Sagan said, "the Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena." With so much to explore, where do we start? The Planetary Society is working to make the mysteries of the Cosmos feel just a little less distant by creating educational content about everything space, from individual planets to space exploration missions.

LabXchange is excited to welcome The Planetary Society to our platform. Below, hear from Science Editor Asa Stahl to learn more about The Planetary Society's work.

What does The Planetary Society do?

We advance space science and exploration through a combination of grassroots political advocacy, scientific research projects, and education and public outreach.

What's one fun fact that LabXchange users should know about your organization?

We were co-founded by Carl Sagan in 1980, and we have helped support some of humanity’s most powerful surveys to search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

What motivates you to work in science education?

Scientific discoveries like the wonders of the Cosmos are humanity’s common heritage. Sharing them with others can be empowering, awe-inspiring, and remind us of what’s really important.

Which content are you most proud of?

This exposé, where ex-NASA scientists spoke out about the damage that massive layoffs and buyouts are doing to the agency, and this deep-dive into a new potential hint that alien life once existed on Mars.

How can learners and educators best use your content?

There’s no wrong way to learn about space! Just follow your curiosity wherever it takes you.

Explore The Planetary Society's learning resources here!

Finally, what's your favorite science joke/pun?

Holmes and Dr. Watson were going camping. They pitched their tent under the stars and went to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night Holmes woke Watson up and said: "Watson, look up and tell me what you see?"

Watson replied: "I see millions and millions of stars."

Holmes said: "And what do you deduce from that?"

Watson replied: "Well, if there are millions of stars, and if even a few of those have planets, quite likely there are some planets like Earth out there. And if there are a few planets like Earth out there, there might also be life."

And Holmes said: "Watson, you idiot, it means that somebody stole our tent!"

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Discover more resources from The Planetary Society in the LabXchange library:

• Venus, Earth's Twin Sister (text)
• The Moon, Gateway for Science and Exploration (text)
• What Is a Planet? (text)