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Topic

Planetary Geology

The study of planetary and lunar surfaces and geologic histories, using landforms like craters, ridges and rock layers to infer past processes.

Current stories

scienceConfirmed2 publishers

Curiosity's record 1 km climb on Mount Sharp leaves the yardangs a 2027 target

NASA's Curiosity rover has climbed 1 km up Mount Sharp, by NASA's count the most elevation gained on Mars. Arm work on the wind-carved yardang cliffs ahead, the study meant to show how they formed, is hoped for in 2027.

Publishers:gizmodo.com nasa.gov phys.org

Perspective Coverage

3 publishers
Builder
Builder 30%
Operator
Operator 60%
Investor
Investor 10%

Reality

Evidence65
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap+10
Incentives55
Confidence70
scienceOne report1 publisher

Curiosity drills its 48th Gale crater rock in the newly entered Cache Creek quad

Curiosity has drilled its 48th Gale crater rock, a target called Basque Lakes, in the newly entered Cache Creek quad. A weekend X-ray diffraction run will give the first mineral data on how this rock formed and was later altered.

Publishers:nasa.gov

Reality

Evidence55
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap0
Incentives
Not scored
Confidence60
scienceOne report1 publisher

Curiosity's layered sulfate bedrock gives way to blocks covered in disc-shaped lumps

Curiosity's team planned four chemistry readings on blocks covered in disc-shaped lumps, a texture Earth rocks can show where evaporating fluid left minerals. Settling whether that happened on Mars will likely take the rover's next drill sample and its CheMin instrument.

Publishers:nasa.gov

Reality

Evidence55
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap−5
Incentives
Not scored
Confidence60
scienceOne report1 publisher

Jezero's Margin Unit proves to be igneous rock that water altered at least three times

Perseverance's SuperCam survey of more than 185 targets shows Jezero's Margin Unit is magma-formed olivine rock that met water at least three times. Groundwater and later hot fluids joined the crater lake in reworking it, so its carbonate is a harder record to read.

Publishers:sciencedaily.com

Reality

Evidence58
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap+8
Incentives40
Confidence62
scienceOne report1 publisher

Perseverance traces three separate water episodes through Jezero's igneous shoreline rock

Orbiters read the carbonate at Jezero's margin as lake chemistry; Perseverance found volcanic rock that water altered at least three times, in a sequence the team can order but cannot date.

Publishers:nasa.gov phys.org

Reality

Evidence58
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap+15
Incentives40
Confidence62
scienceOne report1 publisher

Hokkaido team raises Mercury's measured contraction to 11.6 km after correcting for rough terrain

Shortening structures turn up more often on smooth ground than on rough. Correcting for that detection bias raises Mercury's radial contraction from 8.3 to 11.6 kilometres, and the authors say even that is probably low.

Publishers:phys.org

Reality

Evidence62
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap+18
Incentives40
Confidence57
scienceConfirmed3 publishers

Roughness maps push Mercury's total contraction up by 10 to 30 percent

Mercury's lumpiest terrain carries the fewest shrinkage wrinkles, which the authors read as impact debris burying the record. Correct for that and total contraction rises to as much as 23 km, with the thermal models still to be redone.

Perspective Coverage

3 publishers
Builder
Builder 42%
Operator
Operator 33%
Investor
Investor 25%

Reality

Evidence64
Adoption18
Hype gap+22
Incentives40
Confidence66