World Book Takes Students Out of This World With Special Feature on Mars: Exploring the Red Planet; Feature Taps NASA, Leading Experts in Space Exploration

As students prepare to head out for summer vacation, World Book is inviting them to do a little space exploration with its newest special feature Mars: Exploring the Red Planet, available on the comprehensive World Book Online Reference Center (www.worldbookonline.com) as well as on the World Book Concise Encyclopedia (www.worldbook.com).

“Exploring Mars has been a priority for NASA and with so much new information coming from the rovers and probes, it makes Mars of even greater interest to our student readers,” said Paul Gazzolo, president of World Book. “Many students are excited by the advances in space exploration and they want to learn more. We encourage this curiosity by putting the study of Mars in perspective, from the history of early exploration through plans for future voyages. The material we present has been developed by experts in the field and is presented in a style that is clear and understandable to our readers.”

The special feature includes contributions by Steven W. Squyres, a professor of astronomy at Cornell University and principal investigator for the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. World Book, which is a NASA partner in helping educate the public about space exploration, also collaborated with the space agency to develop the feature segment on the proposed Aerial Regional-Scale Environmental Survey (ARES) Mars scout mission.

From Early Exploration to Manned Missions

The Mars feature provides students with a comprehensive overview of the red planet, from how it got its name to the description of such physical features as its surface and temperature, and details on the exploration of Mars from the first through the most recent endeavors, including Spirit and Opportunity.

The feature also includes a discussion of NASA’s long-term Mars exploration program using “scout” missions to explore the planet, such as the proposed ARES mission, which will use a robotic, rocket-powered low-flying aircraft to provide the first direct measurements of the near-surface of the Martian atmosphere. The aircraft will travel over hundreds of miles to collect information crucial to better understanding Mars and the potential for life on the planet. An ultimate goal of Mars exploration is to send manned missions to Mars by the mid-to late 2000′s.

The Mars feature also provides students with a variety of editor-reviewed links allowing them to explore further, including links to universities, government agencies, NASA and space societies.

About the World Book Online Reference Center

The World Book Online Reference Center (www.worldbookonline.com) is the premier online general encyclopedia for students at school and at home. It includes more than 26,000 articles as well as more than 12,000 pictures and maps, and 7,000 links to editor-approved Web sites useful in helping the reader constructively explore topics further. The World Book Online Reference Center is continuously updated to incorporate new and important developments relevant to students and their families.

The World Book Online Reference Center features are designed to bring alive topics for students, prompting them to explore areas that they may not have known they had an interest in. The information is presented in an age-appropriate, balanced format using text as well as graphics and pictures to heighten the experience.

About World Book

Since 1917, World Book, Inc. has set the standard in publishing accurate, current, and reliable reference and learning materials for both children and adults. Based in Chicago, Ill., World Book is committed to creating learning materials that meet the highest standards of editorial excellence while also leveraging the advantages of online and interactive learning platforms. This commitment has culminated in a wide range of products that include the number-one selling The World Book Encyclopedia, and leading electronic products such as the World Book Online Reference Center. World Book is a part of Scott Fetzer, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.