Word: martian
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...rovers, meanwhile, have drilled into Martian rocks to analyze their composition and, a few weeks ago, discovered the first meteorite ever found on another world. Opportunity confirmed almost immediately after landing what scientists have long believed: water flowed on Mars ages ago--water that could have nourished Martian life. But the rovers' probing has revealed even more than that. Says Squyres: "Not only can we say there was water, but we've made substantial strides in understanding what conditions were actually like...
That's true, at least, for Meridiani Planum, the plain near the Martian equator, where Opportunity set down. By pure good fortune, the rover landed inside a small crater gouged by an ancient meteorite. This natural excavation exposed ancient layers of crust laid down by a shallow lake that had periodically dried up and refilled. Spirit landed half a world away in giant Gusev Crater, on what looked like a lake bed but turned out to be lava. Frustrated, mission scientists ordered the rover to move on. "We were already at 80 days, but we decided to put the pedal...
That doesn't mean life once thrived on Mars, but it's a tantalizing sign. So is methane found in the Martian air. It could be volcanic, but methane is more often produced by living organisms. If bacteria still live under Mars' surface, this could be their calling card. Opportunity and Spirit can't detect bacteria directly, but they're not finished unearthing secrets. Spirit's discovery of an intact meteorite was totally unexpected, and the rover should get a dramatic panoramic view in a few weeks when it reaches the crest of the Columbia Hills. "I have no idea...
...showpiece at a recent Tokyo trade show, proved it could walk a nice walk and kick a soccer ball to boot. It's controlled via Bluetooth. The Chroino, right--if we didn't know any better, we'd think it was Playmobil's tribute to Marvin the Martian--also boasts a more graceful stride, thanks to new SHIN-Walk technology that allows the 14-in. robot to maintain an even center of gravity and avoid the awkward bent-knee technique common to other walking bots...
...Caucasian opponent, however stalwart, "That white boy's got heart"? And are college kids really still into 90210 and Animal House? They certainly don't have PlayStation3s, as such a machine does not, at press time, exist. Sometimes Wolfe has the air of a benevolent, fastidious Martian, as when he expends several sentences explaining the nature and function of what we humans call a StairMaster...