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The year is 2075.

The United States has just established Abeona, the first self-sustaining colony on Mars. While the station initially seemed secure, all of a sudden ...

"A few rats have escaped from the psychology labs. They have found various nooks and crannies, the abundant air ducts and the nonlinear design of receptive homes ... Given sufficient time, these rodents could threaten food stores, wire sheathing, insulation and other delectables. The infestation will probably require more than one approach to resolve. Good luck."

This is not a scene from a science fiction movie, but one of many "tweaks" faced by members of Anthropology Professor Doug Raybeck's "Cultural Simulation Seminar."

Fifteen students, with majors ranging from physics to psychology, each played a role in the computer simulation course based on their background and expertise. Not only did they deal with the logistics of designing the station and sustaining life there, but they also created a new society from scratch and dealt with the glitches that "Lord Raybeck" threw their way.

"As liberal arts students, we certainly all had our opinions," said Catlin Cook, the team captain. "There were no clear-cut rules or answers. You learned how to prove your point without offending others, when to speak and when to listen, and when you are the authority on a subject and when to yield to someone else."

Thanks to funding provided by the College, the Hamilton team flew to California to present their work at CONTACT 2000, a conference of NASA scientists, technologists, anthropologists and writers engaged in serious speculation about the future.

And, yes, they did conclude that humans could survive on Mars.

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