The Curiosity rover / Mars Science Laboratory has landed safely on Mars and is returning data! So now we have two rovers on Mars again, Opportunity and a new one of unprecendented size and instrument sophistication. Curiosity has a laser gun that allows it to measure emission spectra at a distance, an instrument that allows it to identify minerals directly without inference via their elemental composition, and more. Looking forward to new discoveries!
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I'm not a scientist but what a great day to be a human being! Kudos to the men and women who got that great beast to the surface of a planet 156,000,000 miles from earth! I think that math is right. 186,000*60*14. Whatever...an incredible achievement!
What the first Curiosity image really showed http://poof.hksr.us/iiouwrhx
Robots, archaeology and barren worlds:
Drones map ancient Peruvian ruins http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2012/08/drones-map-ancient…
Two separate extinctions brought end to dinosaur era http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22137-two-separate-extinctions-br…