Before Spacecraft: When Earth Thought Mars Was Alive
The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series

Martians, Tesla, and madness? David Baron’s wild true story is unforgettable.

 

📘 Did you know that the most brilliant minds of the late 1800s believed in Martians? It’s a fascinating piece of history that we’ll be exploring in our upcoming episode.

In our newest episode of The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates series, we feature Smithsonian Associate, science writer and author David Baron, whose latest book, ‘The Martians’ (available at Apple Books), tells a story that is equal parts history, science, and human imagination. David Baron will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates on Sept. 29, 2025. Please check out Smithsonian Associates for more information!

But we have David Baron today on the show!

Before rockets, rovers, and our understanding of Mars, people looked through telescopes and saw cities. Men like Percival Lowell and Nikola Tesla weren’t imagining stories for books — they were making scientific claims. Lowell built observatories to map Martian canals. Tesla believed his radio experiments might have picked up messages from intelligent life on another planet.

 

Why did so many believe so strongly in something we now see as impossible? David Baron explores that question with humor, historical depth, and a storyteller’s eye.

Whether you’re in science, history, education, or just someone who remembers looking up at the night sky and wondering, this episode will give you something to think about.

🎧 Listen now: https://notold-better.com

In our latest episode of The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates series, we speak with award-winning author and science journalist David Baron, whose new book ‘The Martians’ delves into the fascinating history of our beliefs about Mars. The book is available on Apple Books. 

More information available at Smithsonian Associates:

 

 

 

https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/martians