Curiosity

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Scientist on Mars Find: 'Is It Life? We Can't Tell'

Curiosity uncovers rich mix of organic molecules in sample from ancient lakebed

(Newser) - NASA says its Curiosity rover has turned up its richest haul of organic molecules yet, sharpening, though not settling, the question of whether the planet once hosted life. In a study published Tuesday in Nature Communications , researchers say a drilled sample dubbed "Mary Anning 3" from a single...

Curiosity Captures Spectacular Martian Sunset

Image shows 'some of the most clearly visible images of sun rays we've ever seen on Mars'

(Newser) - Martian sunsets can be on the gloomy side, but NASA's Curiosity rover captured a spectacular one last month. The rover's official account tweeted an image of the phenomenon this week, saying, "My team says these are some of the most clearly visible images of sun rays we'...

Mars Rover Finds Possible New Sign of Life on Mars

The Curiosity rover detected a puff of gas

(Newser) - It's been a while, but Martian methane is back. NASA's Curiosity rover detected rich amounts of methane in the planet's air on Wednesday, reigniting hope of life on Mars, the New York Times reports. "Given this surprising result, we've reorganized the weekend to run a...

Martian Storm Unlike Any Seen This Decade

It now encircles the whole Red Planet

(Newser) - The oldest operating rover on Mars will have to hunker down a bit longer. The dust storm whomping the Red Planet since May 30, which covered a quarter of its surface a week ago, now circles the entire sphere. NASA's solar-powered Opportunity rover powered down in Mars' Perseverance Valley...

'Building Blocks of Life' Found on Mars

Latest discoveries are the best evidence yet of life on the red planet

(Newser) - New Mars discoveries are advancing the case for possible life on the red planet, past or even present. Scientists reported Thursday that NASA's Curiosity rover has found potential building blocks of life in an ancient Martian lakebed. Hints have been found before, but this is the best evidence yet,...

Meet the Woman Protecting Mars From Earth Invaders

Curiosity is one dirty rover

(Newser) - Dr. Catharine Conley's job is to make sure that if we ever discover life on Mars, it's actually Martian and not our own dirty fingerprints. “If we’re going to look for life on Mars, it would be really kind of lame to bring Earth life and...

Rover Captures Blue Martian Sunset

Curiosity took image between dust storms

(Newser) - After nearly three years on Mars, NASA's Curiosity rover has captured one of its most stunning otherworldly images yet: a blue Martian sunset. The newly released image was taken on April 15 between dust storms when the thin atmosphere was still full of particles, reports CNET . "The colors...

Rover's Discovery Raises Hopes of Life on Mars

Curiosity detects methane

(Newser) - The Mars rover has delivered what a NASA scientist calls an "oh my gosh moment"—it detected methane on the red planet, reports the New York Times . The discovery is making headlines because the gas had to originate somewhere, and one possibility is that the source is some...

Rover Finds More Clues to Martian Life

Curiosity discovers planet was ripe for life billions of years ago

(Newser) - There's still no proof there was ever life on Mars, but evidence is starting to pile up that conditions were once ripe for life to begin, NASA scientists say. The Curiosity rover's exploration of the Gale Crater has found signs that liquid water flowed on the planet's...

Latest Weird Mars Find: Is That a Thigh Bone?

But hey, it's no jelly doughnut

(Newser) - First, Mars was thought to be invaded by jelly doughnuts . Now, some are claiming the latest photos from NASA's Curiosity rover show proof of human or animal life on the Red Planet. UFO Blogger first discovered what it calls a "fossilized thigh bone" in a photo snapped by...

NASA Tries to Explain Mars 'Mystery Light'

Vent hole, shiny rock could have caused it

(Newser) - NASA has offered a few more explanations for a strange beam of light spotted in a photo from its Curiosity rover—and none of them involve Martians. The bright spot that has excited UFO enthusiasts is probably either "the glint from a rock surface reflecting the sun" or sunlight...

'Mystery Light' Spotted in Mars Photo

NASA says blip was caused by cosmic rays

(Newser) - Is there life on Mars—and has it left its lights on? A strange blip of light in a photo snapped April 3 by NASA's Curiosity rover has excited UFO enthusiasts, the Houston Chronicle reports. While experts suspect a pixel problem, some believe the light shining upward signals Martians....

This Is What Earth Looks Like From Mars

Curiosity rover photographs our planet

(Newser) - The Mars rover Curiosity paused last week to take a photo of its home planet, and NASA points out that Earth is "shining brighter than any star in the Martian light." If you look carefully—one of the images provides help—you can pick out the moon just...

Mars Rover Finds Evidence of 'Very Earth-Like' Lake

It might have supported life for millions of years

(Newser) - The Curiosity rover has discovered evidence of an ancient freshwater lake on Mars that was brimming with the key chemicals necessary to support microbial life, and its findings suggest that it could have held that life more recently than we thought—and possibly for millions of years before that. "...

We've Found Water on Mars—a 'Surprising Amount'

Two pints per cubic foot of soil, to be exact

(Newser) - If you hear a dull roar, it's probably just the collective scream of science buffs the world over. NASA's Curiosity rover has found water in Mars' soil, and the BBC describes it as a "surprising amount." The find occurred at the hands of Curiosity, which scooped...

Rover Curiosity Deflates Hopes of Life on Mars

It can't find any trace of methane

(Newser) - If there are any little green men on Mars, or at least little green microbes, the Mars rover Curiosity can't find any trace of them. NASA reported today that a series of tests turned up no signs of telltale methane, reports Space.com . The results are especially disappointing given...

Colbert: NASA's Penis Doodle Proves Our Cosmic Might

He discusses NASA's latest 'feat'

(Newser) - The United States has its problems, but Stephen Colbert thinks that NASA's latest feat clearly shows America's cosmic might—that feat being an image of a penis left on Mars. The Internet erupted after a photo of the seemingly phallic track patterns the Curiosity rover left in the...

Mars Missions Slow in April, Thanks to Sun's Position

Interference means rovers pretty much get the month off

(Newser) - It's the Martian version of spring break: Curiosity and Opportunity , along with their spacecraft friends circling overhead, will take it easy this month because of the sun's interference. For much of April, the sun blocks the line of sight between Earth and Mars. This celestial alignment—called a...

NASA: Yep, Mars Could Have Supported Life

Soil sample dug up by Curiosity proves it

(Newser) - NASA scientists examining their first sample of Martian rock dug out by the rover Curiosity found some remarkable things in there: sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and carbon. In other words, ingredients that show the planet once could have supported life. Lead scientist Michael Mayer sums it up thusly:
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Latest Search for Alien Life Taking Place on Earth

NASA turns to geologists for help

(Newser) - NASA's latest partner in the search for alien life: a group of about 50 geologists who are hunting for evidence of ancient life here on Earth. The University of Wisconsin's Astrobiology Research Consortium last month started a five-year, $7 million project funded by a NASA grant. It'll...

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