Interest in exploring the planet Mars has mushroomed during the past several years, fueled by an intriguing proposal that a martian meteorite contains the fossilized remains of extraterrestrial life forms and by the highly successful Mars Pathfinder spacecraft mission.  Dr. McSween has been an oft-quoted voice of caution in interpreting the martian meteorite results and serves as a member of the Pathfinder science team.  He will discuss new developments in the controversy over interpretations of 'nanofossils', the origin of organic compounds, and the identification of biogenic minerals.  He will also summarize the scientific results of the Pathfinder mission, focusing on the analyses of rocks and soil.  The presentation will also provide a brief description of NASA's plans for the continued exploration of Mars.  How these subjects relate to taxes and the upcoming Arkansas versus Tennessee football game can only be learned by attendance at the lecture.