Decoding Planetary Signatures by Sarah Geegan The mobile robotic
rover Curiosity landed on Mars on Monday, Aug. 6, equipped with
a suite of sophisticated scientific instruments to investigate
Mars’ past or present ability to sustain microbial life. Back at
the University of Kentucky, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Professor Christopher Romanek, a "top-ten" researcher in the
field of Mars science from 1994 to 2004, will infuse the
Curiosity's findings into his classes. "With the suite of
advanced instrumentation onboard MSL, we will search for organic
carbon in more powerful ways and in places that were completely
inaccessible previously," Romanek said. "Hopefully, the data
returned will allow us to answer the question 'Are we alone in
the universe?'" Romanek is an expert on the geology and
composition of Martian rocks and soil, which are the main focus
of the Mars Science Laboratory’s (MSL) many analytical
capabilities. Having studied surface processes and the potential
for microbial life on Mars for over 2