Mars is the only world in our solar system occupied solely by a colony of smart robots. Most of the explorers are journeying alone, hoping to find evidence of current or past microbial life while they explore the landscape and atmosphere looking for data on the red planet’s ecological history. 

The Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity, put down wheels in Gale Crater, a region that appears to have once contained a lake. For the past several years, it has investigated the clay-rich rocks that make up the base of the crater, but recently, as it ascends Mount Sharp, it is seeing its landscape change. According to deputy project scientist Abigail Fraeman: We’re entering a region where rocks are filled with salty minerals called sulfates. These minerals form in drier conditions, so we think this area might show us how the ancient Martian climate was changing.

As Curiosity climbs, it will be ascending through land that dried out at different times. Each layer, like the layers in a canyon, will reveal a bit more of Mars’ past and help us better understand what to expect in Mars’ future.

More Information

Mars rover Curiosity reaches intriguing transition zone on Red Planet (Space.com)