About this episode
Understanding the freezing weather sweeping across the United States — and why Texas’s independent power grid was doomed to fail in its wake. Plus, NASA tries to land a car on Mars. Read more: At least 14 people are dead in four states after a record-breaking cold snap swept through parts of the United States. Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci explains the science behind the freezing temperatures — and why the country might be bracing for more. Will Englund reports on how the Texas power grid got crushed because its operators weren’t prepared . NASA’s Mars rover, Perseverance, could be in for a bumpy landing Thursday. But if it survives the “seven minutes of terror,” Perseverance could hold the key to future exploration of the Red Planet.