Soil analyzed by the Spirit rover revealed large amounts of silica, which only could have formed if water once flowed on the surface of Mars. In 2007, the Spirit mission provided the needed proof. Water is an essential component of life as we know it, and for years, scientists have speculated that Mars once had flowing water on its surface. These organic compounds enable researchers to study the origin and evolution of our solar system and potentially, life on Earth.Ī little closer to home, scientists are looking to Mars for signs of life. According to Scott Sandford, an original co-investigator on the Stardust mission, the samples from Wild-2 are unchanged since the birth of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Researchers analyzing the particles collected by Stardust discovered two kinds of nitrogen-rich organic molecules. This silica-based gel, nicknamed frozen smoke, was inserted into the Aerogel Collector Grid, which looks like a large tennis racket. Using a substance called aerogel, Stardust captured comet samples and stored them for safe return to Earth. Stardust returned to Earth in 2006 after traveling 2.9 billion miles. Stardust is the first NASA mission dedicated to the exploration of a comet (Wild-2, pronounced Vilt-2), and the first mission designed to return extraterrestrial material from outside the orbit of the Moon. In 1999, NASA launched the Stardust mission. Discoveries made on Earth - from microbes that thrive in extreme temperatures to minerals unlike any ever seen before - have fueled our curiosity about life elsewhere in our Solar System and the universe at large.
Cosmic omelet how to#
In Life: How to Make a Cosmic Omelet, The DNA Files looked at the ways in which genetic tools have helped define life as we know it, from bacteria found in a boiling hot spring in Yellowstone National Park to microbes found frozen (and alive!) in the Arctic. Our approach to the search for life in the universe is highly influenced by our knowledge of life at home on Earth. Best of New England Seafood Recipes: How to Cook Scallops, How to Make Clam Chowder, Cooking Lobster Tails, Cod Fillet Recipes, Haddock Recipes and More.Download MP3 (PC: right-click Mac: option-click).Best Apple Recipes: Easy Desserts with Apples, Best Apples for Apple Pie, Our Favorite Apple Turnover Recipe, and More!.Best of New England Fall Travel: Best Places to See Foliage in New England, Best Fall Drives in New England, Things To Do In Maine, Things To Do in the Berkshires, Things To Do in Vermont, and More!.
0 kommentar(er)
