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| NASA Curiosity rover exploring the Red Planet since August 2012 |
If you haven't already heard of Curiosity, the latest Mars Rover to touch down on the Red Planet in August 2012, you might as well be living under a rock somewhere on Saturn. The thought of a robot trudging its way about the dusty surface of Mars reminds me that we are living in the most technologically advanced period in human history. Curiosity is on a two-year primary mission aimed at determining if the planet is now, or could ever have been, capable of supporting primitive life. What most people don't necessarily realise is that subsequent to Curiosity, there have been 3 successful U.S. Mars rovers, namely, the Spirit, Opportunity, and the Sojourner.
Thanks to NASA and the Mars Exploration Programme, the Curiosity rover has discovered many interesting facts about the planet. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the constant updates and "Breaking News" surrounding Curiosity. A significant finding has been the composition of gases on Mars. One less significant soil and mineral finding has been the diffraction signature, or "fingerprint," of the mineral olivine. The semi-precious gemstone peridot is a variety of olivine. If you are born in August, peridot is your birthstone.
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| The composition of gases on Mars as discovered by Curiosity. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech, SAM/GSFC |
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| The mineral olivine which makes up the semi-precious Peridot |
Looking for a concise list of Curiosity findings that will reveal whether Mars, is, was or ever will be suitable for life? That is going to be tough to find! For starters, follow @MarsCuriosity on Twitter for verified tweets and check out these links that will help you find out all you need to know:
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