Meteorite Message from Mars

A Martian meteorite, an incredibly rare object, has been given to science to help unravel the Red Planet's secrets.  

Researchers will look for minerals formed in the presence of water, and for any signs of organics - carbon-rich molecules. 

Energy, water, a source of carbon are the prerequisites for life as we know it. Finding evidence for any of these phenomena in Tissint tells scientists something about how habitable Mars might have been in the past.

"It's a messenger from Mars," said Prof Andrew Coates from the UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory. "It allows you to look back at the history of Mars and its formation. It's a history lesson on what Mars' atmosphere was like years ago - could there ever have been the right conditions for life?"

To read the whole article: Rare Martian meteorite given to science

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Corals Inflate to Escape Sand

Coral might appear solid and inanimate, but surprising new footage of a mushroom coral inflating itself to escape a sandy burial has brought the organism to life.  

To move around, the corals "inflate and deflate" parts of their body. And, as the footage that Dr Bongaerts captured showed, they use a similar technique to free themselves from a covering of sand. 

"The corals inflate and deflate their entire body in a series of rhythmic pulses," said Dr Bongaerts, "which allows them to effectively shed the sediment in a matter of hours.

"It's so crazy to see; it looks like another type of creature entirely."

He says that the idea of using time-lapse came from watching natural history documentaries.

"People often don't have the concept that corals are animals," he said. "But this really brings them to life."

"It's surprising that they're capable of such controlled movements."

To Read the Whole Article:

Corals inflate to escape being buried alive in sand

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