Mars: The Search for Water

Curiosity
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Named for the Roman god of war, our red-tinged planetary neighbor continually draws our fascination. In fiction, Mars

is often the source of malevolent alien invaders. In space exploration, it’s an important destination for NASA rovers—such as Curiosity, which landed on Mars earlier this month.

Of all the things we learn about Mars through the rovers, nothing seems to grab public attention like hints of water. Although the research is exciting, RTB astronomer Hugh Ross cautions that water on Mars does not guarantee the past (or present) existence of Martian life:

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We’re Having a Heat Wave

Diana, the scholars’ assistant, and I don’t always agree on the ideal temperature for the office space we share. She prefers to keep things cold, but I like it hot—or at least comfortably warm. One thing we can agree on, however: it’s way too hot outside today.