The Earth/Mars instantaneous communication was bogus
Pretty good indeed; very imaginative mysteries of the universe. The Earth/Mars instantaneous communication was bogus but TV/film dramas always get that wrong; a forgivable dramatic license to sustain storyline tension.
I wish that Dust guy would do one for my favorite sci-fi short story: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.
Until then . . . "Which of you five would like to play my little game?"