This image shows a "bite mark" where NASA's Curiosity rover
scooped up some Martian soil. The first scoop sample was taken
from the "Rocknest" patch of dust and sand on Oct. 7, 2012, the
61st sol, or Martian day, of operations. A third scoop sample
was collected on Oct. 15, or Sol 69, and deposited into the
Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument on Oct. 17, or Sol
71. This image was taken by Curiosity's Mast Camera. Scientists
enhanced the color in this version to show the Martian scene as
it would appear under lighting conditions on Earth, which helps
in analyzing the terrain. During the two-year prime mission of
the Mars Science Laboratory Project, researchers are using
Curiosity's 10 instruments to investigate whether areas in Gale
Crater ever offered environmental conditions favorable for
microbial life. Image Credit: NASA|