Below the Fold - a year into the mission to Mars

View this email in your browser
WELLNESS CHECK
This edition leans...
Hey Below the Fold fam,

We’ve all probably heard about the mission to Mars, but we’ll be the first to admit we haven’t completely understood what’s going on. And while we do know it takes time for communications from Mars to reach Earth, we didn’t know that there was an actual schedule for data drops from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab to the research community. That explains why these Mars stories come out in such close batches. Here’s some of the latest and why it matters.
TODAY'S STORY
Nearly a year into the mission to Mars
Fri Oct 8

It’s been nine months since the latest NASA rover reached Mars — what’s it been up to?! As a refresher, the Perseverance rover is on a mission to discover signs of ancient life and collect rock/dirt samples for possible return to Earth. Using Perseverance’s on-board technology, the NASA team has already analyzed rocks on the crater floor, so far discovering igneous ones.

And that’s quite exciting for scientists. Igneous rocks form when molten rock cools and crystallizes, and are great for getting accurate age dates to build a time scale, telling scientists when the red planet was habitable. Observations also suggest the rocks have had long, sustained interactions with water.

Why do we care about water on Mars? Well, on Earth, anywhere there’s water, there’s life. And finding signs of life on Mars would mean that Mars was not only habitable, but was actually inhabited (even if by very simple lifeforms such as microbes). This would increase the potential for life elsewhere, meaning we’re not alone in the universe. Further, the rich geological record of Mars — kept intact thanks to minimal tectonic plate activity — might even be able to detail how life formed on the planet.

Of course, this and other scientific questions depend on whether the rock samples are successfully returned to Earth. Perseverance’s first attempt at drilling returned an empty sample tube, likely because the rock selected was too weak from prior interaction with water and fell apart. Scientists later targeted — and successfully collected — two samples from rock that was more resistant to weathering. The mission to get these samples to Earth? Mars Sample Return.

🎬 Take Action

 
Want to help future Mars missions?! Members of the public can help identify scientific features in the images Perseverance is taking to help improve NASA’s artificial intelligence for future missions.
Post Post
Tweet Tweet
Share Share

 

RESOURCE CENTER

Science Daily:
(Where we found this story)
4 weeks old | 5 minutes long
Water’s significance on Mars
3 minutes long
National Geographic:
Igneous rocks
2 years old | 3 minutes long
More on helping NASA
1 week old | 7 minutes long

 

ICYMI (AGAIN)

  • Yesterday: Bonding over tics may be triggering tics
  • Monday: Drones are being used to plant trees faster
  • Friday: The birth of the green burial
ASCII-ING ABOUT THE NEWS
           ___
           /]_/
          |\/|.--/'-.
          \|/:o /  /\    ._,
             \_/_.'0/    _|_
              \____]] (>[___]=]]]===
              /    \___/P{]
           __//    /----\/
          (_[-'\__/_
              / | | \
             '=='='=='
            ____||||___
     snd   (_""_/ \_""_)


“I claim this planet in the name of Mars. Isn't that lovely?”
Marvin the Martian

Art Credit: ASCII Art Archive
Copyright © 2021 Below the Fold, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website.

Our mailing address is:
Below the Fold
2261 Market St # 4135
San Francisco, CA 94114-1612

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Older messages

infected with tics from TikTok

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Another danger to social media? View this email in your browser WELLNESS CHECK This edition leans... Hey Below the Fold fam, We've read (and potentially experienced) the toll social media can have

drones are being used to plant trees faster

Monday, November 1, 2021

Some hope in our fight against climate change. View this email in your browser WELLNESS CHECK This edition leans... Hey Below the Fold fam, As our world continues to buckle under the effects of climate

the birth of the green burial

Friday, October 29, 2021

A fitting tale for the spookiest weekend of them all. View this email in your browser WELLNESS CHECK This edition leans... BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Tens of thousands of TikToks are posted every minute. 6000

go green or stay exclusive?

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Major brands are facing a hard truth. View this email in your browser WELLNESS CHECK This edition leans... BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Tens of thousands of TikToks are posted every minute. 6000 tweets are sent

kids locked up for fake crimes

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

And the county profits when it happens. View this email in your browser WELLNESS CHECK This edition leans... Hey Below the Fold fam, One thing we struggle with regularly at Below the Fold is misleading

You Might Also Like

9 Things Anna Kendrick Can’t Live Without

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Plus: Nice things to spend your FSA money on. The Strategist Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.

Holiday Briefing: A day to celebrate

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

A special edition for a special day. View in browser|nytimes.com Ad Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific Edition December 25, 2024 Natasha Frost headshot Gaya Gupta headshot By Natasha Frost and Gaya Gupta

Here’s how we do it.

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

How did our work reach millions of eyes and ears in 2024? It's because we follow the money to find the real story behind breaking news. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

☕ You’re missing out

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

CMOs on overlooked marketing trends and opportunities. December 24, 2024 View Online | Sign Up Marketing Brew 'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was

☕ From bad to purse

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Luxury handbag or empty box? December 24, 2024 View Online | Sign Up Retail Brew It's Tuesday, December 24, and you know what that means: Valentine's Day is right around the corner. You should

Memory Missing

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

The Colour Of Memory // Missing Links In American History Textbooks Memory Missing By Kaamya Sharma • 24 Dec 2024 View in browser View in browser The Colour Of Memory Grace Linden | Public Domain

Thank you. For everything. And see you in 2025.

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Our end-of-year note, and some fun updates on what's coming. Thank you. For everything. And see you in 2025. Our end-of-year note, and some fun updates on what's coming. By Isaac Saul • 24 Dec

Science faves: Yours and ours

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

A year of discoveries and satisfying curiosity ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

🦇 It Was Always ‘Nosferatu’

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Plus: We count down the 10 best RPGs of 2024. Inverse Daily Director Robert Eggers reveals why his remake of FW Murnau's vampire classic has been such a longtime passion project for him. Focus

The very best tinned fish

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

And more great last-minute gifts you can get at the grocery store View in browser Ad The Recommendation December 24, 2024 Ad Tinned fish we love Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter; food styling by Maggie