Waste of Time or Valuable Research?

Traveling to Mars would be quite the accomplishment, that is exactly what the FMARS people are trying to do. They will have a team of scientists live in the arctic for a few months living in what amounts to a giant metal can. The expiriment sounds like it would be very interesting and the researchers say they are learning a lot, but really, how practical is it to compare an enviornment here on Earth to one on a planet we have never even seen up close? Check out the story and decide for yourself.