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Deadly Collision Claims 67 Lives in U.S. Air Disaster | At Least 30 Dead and Many Injured in Stampede at Maha Kumbh Mela in India | Chinese President Xi Jinping Affirms Cambodia's Role as a Key Partner in China’s Diplomatic Strategy | Xi Jinping Concludes State Visit to Cambodia, Strengthening Bilateral Ties | Chinese President Xi Jinping Concludes Successful State Visit to Cambodia | Chinese Ambassador: US-China Trade Tensions Harm Developing Nations; President Xi Urges Investment in Cambodia and Expanded Market Access | Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Ships Bungo and Etazima Dock at Ream Sea Base for Four-Day Visit | Prime Minister Hun Manet Expresses Displeasure Over Criticism of Chinese Investments During Kampot International Tourist Port Inauguration | Asian Development Bank Collaborates with Cambodia on New Development Projects Worth Over $1 Billion |

NASA Begins Search for Ancient Life on Mars

  • Posted Jul 22, 2021 13:21 by Andrew Barnes-Roberts
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INTERNATIONAL: NASA's Mars rover Perseverance has started its historic hunt for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet. The rover has been working seven days a week to test and practice with its sophisticated instruments, that have now started taking soil samples from the Jezero Crater. Scientists believe this was once a lake-bed that may hold evidence of primitive life.

NASA has already produced evidence of ancient rivers flowing into the crater, that formed a delta region similar to southern Vietnam. Previous rovers have detected clay which only forms in the presence of water. With its robotic arms, Perseverance is now drilling down into that clay to take samples. Among the questions scientists are hoping to one day answer is whether the soil in Jezero is sedimentary or volcanic, and whether the ancient lake went through multiple episodes of filling up and drying out again. Finely-layered rock has already been photographed by Perseverance, raising hopes that evidence of life might be found in those layers.

But we’ve got a long time to wait for answers. Samples will be collected over the next few months, but it won’t be until 2031 when those samples are collected and returned to Earth.


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