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Curiosity Mars Rover Checking Possible Smoother Route

By Guest PostJanuary 30, 2014Sciencecoeymans, curiosity mars rover, daniel limonadi, dingo gap, drilling site, gale crater, gap, geological layer, hirise, jim erickson, jpl, kimberley quadrant, kms 9, mars rover, mawson, mount sharp, NASA, richard rainen, slope, yellowknife quadrant

The team operating NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity is considering a path across a small sand dune to reach a favorable route to science destinations.

A favorable route would skirt some terrain with sharp rocks considered more likely to poke holes in the rover’s aluminum wheels.

While the team has been assessing ways to reduce wear and tear to the wheels, Curiosity has made progress toward a next site for drilling a rock sample and also toward its long-term destination: geological layers exposed on slopes of Mount Sharp. The rover has driven into a mapping quadrant that includes a candidate site for drilling. Meanwhile, testing on Earth is validating capabilities for drilling into rocks on slopes the rover will likely encounter on Mount Sharp. (more…)

It Takes Two to Tango: Pairs of Entwined Proteins Handle The Stress

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— Imagine two tango dancers sweeping across the dance floor and suddenly encountering a slick spot. To avoid a slip or even a nasty tumble, the pair must work together to support one another and glide safely through the stressful moment.

In a similar way, a certain type of helper protein called a stress-specific molecular chaperone prevents its client proteins from collapsing during stressful situations by uncoiling a long, supportive arm that wraps around them, a University of Michigan-led research team has shown. (more…)

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Curiosity Mars Rover Checking Possible Smoother Route

It Takes Two to Tango: Pairs of Entwined Proteins Handle The Stress