nasa research

NASA’s Perseverance rover is currently collecting samples on the surface of Mars, and some of them will be coming to Earth—that is, if all goes well. NASA has a complex plan to bring bits of the Red Planet here, arriving in 2033, so scientists can study them to answer some burning questions. What’s the planet’s history? What is its dust like? And, are there any signs that life may have existed there? WSJ’s Alex Ossola speaks to Lindsay Hays, an astrobiologist at NASA and deputy lead scientist for the Mars Sample Return mission, about how this mission could help us better understand the history of our own planet and shape future missions to Mars and beyond. Further reading:  NASA Lands Perseverance Rover Safely on Mars After ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’  NASA Collects Mars Rock Samples in Historic First for Perseverance Rover  NASA’s Perseverance Rover Begins Its Search for Life on Mars  Mars Photos: See NASA’s Perseverance Rover’s First Visions of Red Planet   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If a major eruption ever were to occur at Yellowstone’s “supervolcano,” the event could destroy huge swaths of North America. But in recent years, some scientists have proposed that the amazing power locked beneath the caldera could be harnessed to generate renewable geothermal energy. National Geographic writer Maya Wei-Haas examines the risks of a supervolcanic eruption at Yellowstone and what it would take to use it as a power source. For more information on this episode, visit natgeo.com/overheard. Want more?  Check out Maya Wei-Haas’ article about how bacteria discovered in Yellowstone led to the development of PCR tests used to detect Covid-19, and her article about the eruption of Cumbre Vieja on La Palma.  See how the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory is monitoring the region on their website.  Listen to more of Paolo Dell'aversana’s geomusic on his YouTube page. Also explore: Find out more about the geothermal facilities mentioned in this episode on their websites: Cornell University Borehole Observatory The Geysers in California  Krafla Magma Testbed If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices