Two Mars rovers, Opportunity and Spirit, recently found signs of water that ran beneath the planet’s surface in the distant past. Both rovers are directed through the Earth and Planetary Remote Sensing Laboratory at Washington University.

NASA’s Spirit rover, part of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Mission, is currently spinning its wheels on Mars in an area scientists have named “Troy” after the besieged city in Homer’s Iliad. Spirit landed on Mars on Jan. 4, 2004, three weeks before its twin, Opportunity. Each rover had an anticipated mission span of 90 [...]

McDonnell Distinguished University Professor, publisher of over 100 scientific papers, friend of Bill Nye, member of almost every mission that has involved both NASA and Mars, my four-year advisor: this is just a sparknotes version of the endless accomplishments of Wash. U.’s own Ray Arvidson. He is usually seen haunting the southwest corridor of the [...]