The First Book of Space Travel: Getting Kids Inspired in Space, Circa 1953 Prolific children’s book author and illustrator Jeanne Bendick penned a vision of the future intended to inspire the minds of children to create the world of tomorrow. In 1953, when she wrote The First Book of Space Travel, that world was one  where the stars would one day be within reach, despite preceding the space race by nearly a decade. Maria Popova has collected many of the pages from this out-of-print book at Brain Pickings, and they are equal parts wonderful and sad (I seriously recommend checking them out). They painfully remind us that we have fallen short of these dreams, but maybe we can find hope in Jeanne’s words below:  Questions are more important than answers… If I were a fairy godmother, my gift to every child would be curiosity. These visions are not yet out of reach. Let’s all exchange more of this gift. Here’s a little curiosity, with a bow on top. Because that’s the best kind of rocket fuel. (via Brain Pickings)
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The First Book of Space Travel: Getting Kids Inspired in Space, Circa 1953

Prolific children’s book author and illustrator Jeanne Bendick penned a vision of the future intended to inspire the minds of children to create the world of tomorrow. In 1953, when she wrote The First Book of Space Travel, that world was one  where the stars would one day be within reach, despite preceding the space race by nearly a decade.

Maria Popova has collected many of the pages from this out-of-print book at Brain Pickings, and they are equal parts wonderful and sad (I seriously recommend checking them out). They painfully remind us that we have fallen short of these dreams, but maybe we can find hope in Jeanne’s words below: 

Questions are more important than answers… If I were a fairy godmother, my gift to every child would be curiosity.

These visions are not yet out of reach. Let’s all exchange more of this gift. Here’s a little curiosity, with a bow on top. Because that’s the best kind of rocket fuel.

(via Brain Pickings)

Source: brainpickings.org

The number of places in our solar system that could have ever supported life now stands at 2! The first, of course, is Earth, because … well, us. According to an awesomely exciting announcement today by NASA and JPL, we can add Gale Crater to that list!  What they found: Curiosity’s rock drill recently uncovered clay-like minerals below Gale Crater’s rusty red surface. These muddy minerals, pictured above, hint at a “Gray Mars” era, when Gale Crater and the ancient stream bed it holds could have been home to intermittent lakes. When the onboard instruments scanned the chemical makeup of the clay, it found carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur compounds, a group of elements known as “CHONPS” that have to exist in order to create life as we know it. Most importantly, the minerals were pretty neutral in pH and were found in forms that point to a possible chemical energy system (another key ingredient for life). What remains unknown: This does NOT mean that anything ever actually lived there. But it is the first time that the ingredients for the evolution of microbial life, and the correct conditions to support it, have been directly observed beyond Earth. Mars still has water frozen at its poles, and once had quite a bit of water above and below the surface. The rover will poke around this site, called Yellowknife Bay, for a while longer before heading toward the mountainous center of Gale Crater. There, it will study the multiple layers of rock present on the hillside in order to piece together an even clearer picture of Gale Crater’s muddy, moist, maybe* microbial Martian past. *Maybe. Just want to emphasize that part.
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The number of places in our solar system that could have ever supported life now stands at 2! The first, of course, is Earth, because … well, us. According to an awesomely exciting announcement today by NASA and JPL, we can add Gale Crater to that list!  What they found: Curiosity’s rock drill recently uncovered clay-like minerals below Gale Crater’s rusty red surface. These muddy minerals, pictured above, hint at a “Gray Mars” era, when Gale Crater and the ancient stream bed it holds could have been home to intermittent lakes. When the onboard instruments scanned the chemical makeup of the clay, it found carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur compounds, a group of elements known as “CHONPS” that have to exist in order to create life as we know it. Most importantly, the minerals were pretty neutral in pH and were found in forms that point to a possible chemical energy system (another key ingredient for life). What remains unknown: This does NOT mean that anything ever actually lived there. But it is the first time that the ingredients for the evolution of microbial life, and the correct conditions to support it, have been directly observed beyond Earth. Mars still has water frozen at its poles, and once had quite a bit of water above and below the surface. The rover will poke around this site, called Yellowknife Bay, for a while longer before heading toward the mountainous center of Gale Crater. There, it will study the multiple layers of rock present on the hillside in order to piece together an even clearer picture of Gale Crater’s muddy, moist, maybe* microbial Martian past. *Maybe. Just want to emphasize that part.
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The number of places in our solar system that could have ever supported life now stands at 2! The first, of course, is Earth, because … well, us. According to an awesomely exciting announcement today by NASA and JPL, we can add Gale Crater to that list!  What they found: Curiosity’s rock drill recently uncovered clay-like minerals below Gale Crater’s rusty red surface. These muddy minerals, pictured above, hint at a “Gray Mars” era, when Gale Crater and the ancient stream bed it holds could have been home to intermittent lakes. When the onboard instruments scanned the chemical makeup of the clay, it found carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur compounds, a group of elements known as “CHONPS” that have to exist in order to create life as we know it. Most importantly, the minerals were pretty neutral in pH and were found in forms that point to a possible chemical energy system (another key ingredient for life). What remains unknown: This does NOT mean that anything ever actually lived there. But it is the first time that the ingredients for the evolution of microbial life, and the correct conditions to support it, have been directly observed beyond Earth. Mars still has water frozen at its poles, and once had quite a bit of water above and below the surface. The rover will poke around this site, called Yellowknife Bay, for a while longer before heading toward the mountainous center of Gale Crater. There, it will study the multiple layers of rock present on the hillside in order to piece together an even clearer picture of Gale Crater’s muddy, moist, maybe* microbial Martian past. *Maybe. Just want to emphasize that part.
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The number of places in our solar system that could have ever supported life now stands at 2!

The first, of course, is Earth, because … well, us. According to an awesomely exciting announcement today by NASA and JPL, we can add Gale Crater to that list! 

What they found: Curiosity’s rock drill recently uncovered clay-like minerals below Gale Crater’s rusty red surface. These muddy minerals, pictured above, hint at a “Gray Mars” era, when Gale Crater and the ancient stream bed it holds could have been home to intermittent lakes. When the onboard instruments scanned the chemical makeup of the clay, it found carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur compounds, a group of elements known as “CHONPS” that have to exist in order to create life as we know it. Most importantly, the minerals were pretty neutral in pH and were found in forms that point to a possible chemical energy system (another key ingredient for life).

What remains unknown: This does NOT mean that anything ever actually lived there. But it is the first time that the ingredients for the evolution of microbial life, and the correct conditions to support it, have been directly observed beyond Earth. Mars still has water frozen at its poles, and once had quite a bit of water above and below the surface. The rover will poke around this site, called Yellowknife Bay, for a while longer before heading toward the mountainous center of Gale Crater. There, it will study the multiple layers of rock present on the hillside in order to piece together an even clearer picture of Gale Crater’s muddy, moist, maybe* microbial Martian past.

*Maybe. Just want to emphasize that part.

Just your daily reminder that there’s a bad-ass robot powered by nuclear energy drilling holes and taking names on our neighboring planet right now, you know … lest you forget just how incredibly cool that is. This is the most recent self-portrait of Curiosity, as she (yep, it’s a she) sits atop a rocky perch named for John Klein, the late Mars Science Laboratory deputy manager. The rover is embarking on the next phase of its mission: Drilling rock samples and scooping them into its internal chemical analysis machinery. You can see the first drill holes and scooped sample in the inset photos. I’m amazed at how thin the red dusty layer is in some areas of Mars. Rather than be made of red rock through and through, those iron oxides only cover the red planet in a light dusting of rusty dust. Scrape it away or drill beneath it just a few centimeters and it’s ashy gray! Continue your exploration! Check out an enlarged version of the composite self-portrait here. And for the truly adventurous, check out this interactive 360-degree panorama (especially if you’re on a mobile device … OH MAN so cool!!!!)
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Just your daily reminder that there’s a bad-ass robot powered by nuclear energy drilling holes and taking names on our neighboring planet right now, you know … lest you forget just how incredibly cool that is. This is the most recent self-portrait of Curiosity, as she (yep, it’s a she) sits atop a rocky perch named for John Klein, the late Mars Science Laboratory deputy manager. The rover is embarking on the next phase of its mission: Drilling rock samples and scooping them into its internal chemical analysis machinery. You can see the first drill holes and scooped sample in the inset photos. I’m amazed at how thin the red dusty layer is in some areas of Mars. Rather than be made of red rock through and through, those iron oxides only cover the red planet in a light dusting of rusty dust. Scrape it away or drill beneath it just a few centimeters and it’s ashy gray! Continue your exploration! Check out an enlarged version of the composite self-portrait here. And for the truly adventurous, check out this interactive 360-degree panorama (especially if you’re on a mobile device … OH MAN so cool!!!!)
Zoom Info
Just your daily reminder that there’s a bad-ass robot powered by nuclear energy drilling holes and taking names on our neighboring planet right now, you know … lest you forget just how incredibly cool that is. This is the most recent self-portrait of Curiosity, as she (yep, it’s a she) sits atop a rocky perch named for John Klein, the late Mars Science Laboratory deputy manager. The rover is embarking on the next phase of its mission: Drilling rock samples and scooping them into its internal chemical analysis machinery. You can see the first drill holes and scooped sample in the inset photos. I’m amazed at how thin the red dusty layer is in some areas of Mars. Rather than be made of red rock through and through, those iron oxides only cover the red planet in a light dusting of rusty dust. Scrape it away or drill beneath it just a few centimeters and it’s ashy gray! Continue your exploration! Check out an enlarged version of the composite self-portrait here. And for the truly adventurous, check out this interactive 360-degree panorama (especially if you’re on a mobile device … OH MAN so cool!!!!)
Zoom Info

Just your daily reminder that there’s a bad-ass robot powered by nuclear energy drilling holes and taking names on our neighboring planet right now, you know … lest you forget just how incredibly cool that is.

This is the most recent self-portrait of Curiosity, as she (yep, it’s a she) sits atop a rocky perch named for John Klein, the late Mars Science Laboratory deputy manager. The rover is embarking on the next phase of its mission: Drilling rock samples and scooping them into its internal chemical analysis machinery. You can see the first drill holes and scooped sample in the inset photos.

I’m amazed at how thin the red dusty layer is in some areas of Mars. Rather than be made of red rock through and through, those iron oxides only cover the red planet in a light dusting of rusty dust. Scrape it away or drill beneath it just a few centimeters and it’s ashy gray!

Continue your exploration! Check out an enlarged version of the composite self-portrait here. And for the truly adventurous, check out this interactive 360-degree panorama (especially if you’re on a mobile device … OH MAN so cool!!!!)

Tracking Curiosity The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped this picture of Gale Crater last week, showing the complete mission progress of the Curiosity rover via its tire tracks. If you look at this awesoem hi-res version, you can follow the little guy from the burnt landing site at left to its current spot in Yellowknife Bay at right (you can even make out its wheels!) (More mission news at Wired Science. You might also want to check out the MRO HiRISE camera archive for more orbital shots of Mars.)
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Tracking Curiosity

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped this picture of Gale Crater last week, showing the complete mission progress of the Curiosity rover via its tire tracks.

If you look at this awesoem hi-res version, you can follow the little guy from the burnt landing site at left to its current spot in Yellowknife Bay at right (you can even make out its wheels!)

(More mission news at Wired Science. You might also want to check out the MRO HiRISE camera archive for more orbital shots of Mars.)

Source: Wired

marswiggles: Front Hazcam, Sol 149-150 — Turret dances as Curiosity rover brushes up on some geology. (I reordered a few GIF frames across two Sols to create the illusion of fluid shadow motion). Nibble. Nibble nibble. What a great blog. Lots more wonderful Mars GIF goodness at the link above!
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marswiggles:

Front Hazcam, Sol 149-150 — Turret dances as Curiosity rover brushes up on some geology. (I reordered a few GIF frames across two Sols to create the illusion of fluid shadow motion).

Nibble.

Nibble nibble.

What a great blog. Lots more wonderful Mars GIF goodness at the link above!

ianbrooks: Hand-Cut Curiosity Sculpture by Arnold Martin / Absurd Realities The saddest realization I ever had in life was that I’ll never be able to have my very own Curiosity Rover to ride and take on walks and talk about science stuff with. Apparently NASA won’t build you a personal one, which makes me wonder what exactly they spend all those years doing. $225 USD will get you a smaller, less science-y version at etsy but it can still help you explore the alien terrain of your desktop. (via: io9) Adorable. 
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ianbrooks: Hand-Cut Curiosity Sculpture by Arnold Martin / Absurd Realities The saddest realization I ever had in life was that I’ll never be able to have my very own Curiosity Rover to ride and take on walks and talk about science stuff with. Apparently NASA won’t build you a personal one, which makes me wonder what exactly they spend all those years doing. $225 USD will get you a smaller, less science-y version at etsy but it can still help you explore the alien terrain of your desktop. (via: io9) Adorable. 
Zoom Info
ianbrooks: Hand-Cut Curiosity Sculpture by Arnold Martin / Absurd Realities The saddest realization I ever had in life was that I’ll never be able to have my very own Curiosity Rover to ride and take on walks and talk about science stuff with. Apparently NASA won’t build you a personal one, which makes me wonder what exactly they spend all those years doing. $225 USD will get you a smaller, less science-y version at etsy but it can still help you explore the alien terrain of your desktop. (via: io9) Adorable. 
Zoom Info
ianbrooks: Hand-Cut Curiosity Sculpture by Arnold Martin / Absurd Realities The saddest realization I ever had in life was that I’ll never be able to have my very own Curiosity Rover to ride and take on walks and talk about science stuff with. Apparently NASA won’t build you a personal one, which makes me wonder what exactly they spend all those years doing. $225 USD will get you a smaller, less science-y version at etsy but it can still help you explore the alien terrain of your desktop. (via: io9) Adorable. 
Zoom Info

ianbrooks:

Hand-Cut Curiosity Sculpture by Arnold Martin / Absurd Realities

The saddest realization I ever had in life was that I’ll never be able to have my very own Curiosity Rover to ride and take on walks and talk about science stuff with. Apparently NASA won’t build you a personal one, which makes me wonder what exactly they spend all those years doing. $225 USD will get you a smaller, less science-y version at etsy but it can still help you explore the alien terrain of your desktop.

(via: io9)

Adorable. 

NASA Announces Mars Curiosity’s First Round of Soil Analysis The take-away message? There’s some very interesting “maybes” but no definite “wows”. A week or so after the misunderstanding about how “groundbreaking” these findings would actually be, NASA’s Mars rover team announced the results of their first soil sample analysis today. Remember that this rover is primarily an interplanetary geology lab, outfitted with the most advanced mineral chemistry instruments ever plopped down on another planet. So any hints of Mars one day being able to support life are going to start with eating a whole bunch of dirt. Here’s a quick summary of the recent findings (good summaries at MSNBC and LA Times, too): These first few rounds of soil samples are useful, but one of their main purposes is to clean out the internal instruments and make sure the onboard, self-contained lab is working correctly. The laser-eye and other instruments are cool, but it’s the stuff inside that will most precisely determine the molecules and elements that exist in Martian soil. Curiosity processed a few scoops of coarse sand so far, which NASA compared to the big salt grains on a pretzel, from a region of Gale Crater called Rocknest. The machinery is all working fine, and any contaminating substances from Earth have probably been washed out by now. The rover has found hints of organic molecules (a huge family of carbon-based chemicals that are the precursors to anything that could later lead to life), as well as a chlorine chemical called “perchlorate” (also found by a previous rover in 2008). Normally perchlorate would be toxic, but super-tough microbes could eat it, mayyyyyyyybe … if they also found lots of carbon-based molecules. Which they only have hints of. Really just traces of organics. A “scoche”. Got it? Otherwise the soil was a pretty unremarkable mix of volcanic crystals, which is not surprising on Mars, since it’s home to many volcanoes, including the Solar System’s biggest. They also found traces of water, which we knew Mars had, and isn’t sufficient for life by itself (even Mercury has water ice!). The next step is to continue checking this data to make sure - absolutely sure - that the chlorine and carbon aren’t from Earth. Then they need to see if they are just random leftovers from old meteors or dust hitting the red planet. Then, and only then, will they be able to say whether these chlorine-carbon molecules are special. In the end, this finding is a big “maybe”. But that should not disappoint anyone. Because these early days are about proving that the mission is ready to proceed and that everything is working correctly. And NASA gets an A+ on that. We have 2+ years of experiments, on all kinds of rocks, waiting for us! So keep your “Curiosity” engaged …
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NASA Announces Mars Curiosity’s First Round of Soil Analysis

The take-away message? There’s some very interesting “maybes” but no definite “wows”.

A week or so after the misunderstanding about how “groundbreaking” these findings would actually be, NASA’s Mars rover team announced the results of their first soil sample analysis today. Remember that this rover is primarily an interplanetary geology lab, outfitted with the most advanced mineral chemistry instruments ever plopped down on another planet. So any hints of Mars one day being able to support life are going to start with eating a whole bunch of dirt.

Here’s a quick summary of the recent findings (good summaries at MSNBC and LA Times, too):

  • These first few rounds of soil samples are useful, but one of their main purposes is to clean out the internal instruments and make sure the onboard, self-contained lab is working correctly. The laser-eye and other instruments are cool, but it’s the stuff inside that will most precisely determine the molecules and elements that exist in Martian soil.
  • Curiosity processed a few scoops of coarse sand so far, which NASA compared to the big salt grains on a pretzel, from a region of Gale Crater called Rocknest. The machinery is all working fine, and any contaminating substances from Earth have probably been washed out by now.
  • The rover has found hints of organic molecules (a huge family of carbon-based chemicals that are the precursors to anything that could later lead to life), as well as a chlorine chemical called “perchlorate” (also found by a previous rover in 2008). Normally perchlorate would be toxic, but super-tough microbes could eat it, mayyyyyyyybe … if they also found lots of carbon-based molecules. Which they only have hints of. Really just traces of organics. A “scoche”. Got it?
  • Otherwise the soil was a pretty unremarkable mix of volcanic crystals, which is not surprising on Mars, since it’s home to many volcanoes, including the Solar System’s biggest. They also found traces of water, which we knew Mars had, and isn’t sufficient for life by itself (even Mercury has water ice!).
  • The next step is to continue checking this data to make sure - absolutely sure - that the chlorine and carbon aren’t from Earth. Then they need to see if they are just random leftovers from old meteors or dust hitting the red planet. Then, and only then, will they be able to say whether these chlorine-carbon molecules are special.

In the end, this finding is a big “maybe”. But that should not disappoint anyone. Because these early days are about proving that the mission is ready to proceed and that everything is working correctly. And NASA gets an A+ on that. We have 2+ years of experiments, on all kinds of rocks, waiting for us!

So keep your “Curiosity” engaged …

A Touching Tribute to the Mars Rover Curiosity

This short film by Dan Winters and Shervin Shaeri weaves together footage of the Mars Curiosity rover and commentary from NASA scientists to create a stunning tribute to our latest interplanetary explorer. It gave me goosebumps.

“You don’t get many chances to design your baby, to figure out what it’s supposed to do in its life. But I feel like we got a chance here.”

While NASA may not have actually made that historic discovery after all, we already have plenty to be proud of when it comes to this mission, and plenty more to come. Remember, there’s lots of cool things to find.

(via Open Culture)

Source: openculture.com