Today, Mars is a barren desert. But millions of years ago could our planetary neighbor have been much more Earth-like – covered with rivers, oceans, and even life? A new video series called EPIPHANY, Dr. Ashwin Vasavada, NASA’s Deputy Project Scientist of the Mars Science Laboratory shares how the Mars Curiosity rover is going to shed new light on the ancient history of Mars and whether life could have ever existed there. While Curiosity is not equipped to look for life itself, it will look for “the ingredients of life,” the essential molecules and elements that go into living things. Already, at just 50 sols into the mission, the rover has found an ancient streambed and as Project Scientist John Grotzinger said, “We have already found our first potentially habitable environment.”
While this video provides just an overview, it is the first in a series of three, so look for more in the weeks to come.
Recent Posts
First Light from Einstein Probe: A Supernova Remnant
On 9 January 2024, the Einstein probe was launched, its mission to study the night…
Galaxies Evolved Surprisingly Quickly in the Early Universe
Anyone familiar with astronomy will know that galaxies come in a fairly limited range of…
How Knot Theory Can Help Spacecraft Can Change Orbits Without Using Fuel
When a spacecraft arrives at its destination, it settles into an orbit for science operations.…
Another New Molecule Discovered Forming in Space
The list of chemicals found in space is growing longer and longer. Astronomers have found…
JWST Uses “Interferometry Mode” to Reveal Two Protoplanets Around a Young Star
The JWST is flexing its muscles with its interferometry mode. Researchers used it to study…
A Cold Brown Dwarf is Belching Methane Into Space
Brown dwarfs span the line between planets and stars. By definition, a star must be…