And you thought your computer was a scientific marvel . . . but expand your imagination viewing the fascinating video of details of Curiosity, a car-size robotic explorer which is set to land on Mars on Sunday night, August 5. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120731.html

Is it worth the $$$? Jim Hamm comments, "Now this IS rocket science, it IS amazing, and it IS amazingly complex. Look at what all has to happen to make a landing on Mars, which is scheduled for August 5. I hope it turns out okay, but the odds don't look so good to me.

"Now, I'm a fan of discovery and innovation, but I have to wonder, what did this cost and what will the average person get out of it? Could the money spent have been put to better use? I'm sure there's lots of opinions on this."