Scientists continue to make step-by-step progress in utilizing the talents of a robot field geologist on the surface of Mars. Early findings from science instruments on the Spirit Mars rover have yielded a blend of old news and fresh outlooks about the physical makeup of Mars in evidence at the Gusev Crater landing site.
January 21st, 2004
New Mars rock hints at past water
A rock found in the Atlas Mountains of southern Morocco in 2001 has been confirmed as Martian in origin. The meteorite’s chemical signature was checked out by researchers at the UK’s Southampton Oceanography Centre.
January 19th, 2004
Martian Weather Challenges Rover Team
The weather forecast for Mars: Cold. Breezy. Dust devils a hundred yards wide. This is late summer in Gusev Crater, where the Spirit rover is beginning to move around on the surface. While the ground might be a balmy 44 degrees Fahrenheit, the air above it climbs to only 12 or 15 degrees. Although there are no weather instruments on the twin rovers — Opportunity lands in about a week on the other side of the planet — the robotic geologists can help the science team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory learn more about Mars’ mysterious atmosphere.
January 16th, 2004
A Martian Perspective: The Strange Tale of Two Moons
Viewer’s of the Martain sky would be treated to the unusual sight of not one, but two tiny moons, likely asteroids that were captured in the distant past by Mars
January 15th, 2004
If Nasa Finds Conclusive Evidence Of An Ocean On Mars, America Eats Free Giant Shrimp Long John Silver's
Long John Silver’s announced today that it will give America free Giant Shrimp if NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover project finds conclusive evidence of an ocean on Mars by February 29, 2004. The out-of-this-world offer from the world’s most popular seafood chain celebrates NASA’s efforts to find traces of ocean water – and possibly, evidence of life – on Mars. Steve Davis, President of Long John Silver’s, Inc., and A&W Restaurants, Inc. sent a letter to NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, expressing support for NASA’s efforts to find conclusive evidence of an ocean on Mars. In addition, Davis announced plans to provide free Giant Shrimp to America if conclusive evidence of an ocean is found.
January 12th, 2004
APS X-rays Reveal Secrets Of The Martian Core
While astronomers peer at the surface of Mars, now making its closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years, scientists are learning the secrets of its deep interior using the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne.
December 18th, 2003
Landscapes on Buried Glaciers in Antarctica’s Dry Valleys Help Decipher Recent Ice Ages on Mars National Science Foundation
Studies of the unique landscape in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica provide new insights into the origin of similar features on Mars and provide one line of evidence that suggests the Red Planet has recently experienced an ice age, according to a paper in this week
December 17th, 2003
Earth is ‘between Ice Ages at the moment’ Independent Online
Earth and its companion planet, Mars, are both enjoying a period of warm climate between their respective Ice Ages, according to a study published on Thursday in Nature, the British science weekly. Pictures sent back by United States orbiters have shown that Mars has “dusty, water-ice-rich mantling deposits” in layers that are metres thick, it says.
December 11th, 2003
VideoTalk: Where does Mars hide its water?
Is there water on Mars? When Mars Express reaches the Red Planet on 25 December we will be closer than ever to discovering if the ancient river valleys on the surface of Mars hide huge reservoirs of water beneath. Watch and listen to the evidence on VideoTalk.