Category Archives: Of Interest

New Shpes in Gravity Waves

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Bizarre Star-Shaped Gravity Waves Created

Charles Choi, LiveScience Contributor
Date: 22 February 2013
star-shaped gravity wave
Researchers have discovered a new type of gravity wave, one that is shaped like a star. Such bizarre waves result from a property called nonlinearity, in which a small or simple change results in a disproportionately large or complex effect. For instance, aspects of weather behave chaotically, in a nonlinear manner.
CREDIT: Jean Rajchenbach, Alphonse Leroux, and Didier Clamond (CNRS and Université de Nice, France)

Star-shaped waves can form in vibrating tanks of liquid oil, researchers say.

Learning more about such bizarre waves could shed light on counterparts that may exist elsewhere in nature, researchers added.

Waves of all kinds often behave in an intuitively linear manner. For instance, a weight on a spring will bob up and down in a manner directly proportional to the force that the weight exerts on the spring.

However, a number of strange waves can also form. They come from what is called nonlinearity, in which a small or simple change results in a disproportionately large or complex effect. For instance, aspects of weather behave chaotically, in a nonlinear manner.

The waves seen on the surface of water also behave in a nonlinear manner, and bizarre phenomena can result, such as X- and Y-shaped ocean waves or monstrously large freak waves that seem to come out of nowhere. Scientists have spotted similar nonlinear effects elsewhere in nature, such as with super-cooled atoms or light traveling in fiber optics.

To uncover new, remarkable nonlinear waves, scientists experimented with circular and rectangular tanks containing about two-fifths of an inch (1 centimeter) of silicon oil. Researchers placed the tanks on shakers to vibrate the fluid. Scientists then observed that the liquid contained gravity waves — oscillations due to gravity pulling downward and vibrations pushing upward.

A new type of gravity wave eventually resulted, which alternated in shape between stars and polygons — for instance, between a five-pointed star and a five-sided pentagon. The researchers could change the shapes of these stars and polygons by altering the strength and frequency of the vibrations.

The gravity waves in the liquid interact in a nonlinear manner, resonating and building in complexity, somewhat like how a playground swing will climb higher from repeated pushes. This is the first time such nonlinear, resonant interactions have been seen with gravity waves.

Intriguingly, the shapes of these waves did not depend on the form of the containers housing the fluid.

“It is generally accepted that the shape of the waves depends on the container shape,” said researcher Jean Rajchenbach, a physicist at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France. “The fact that the pattern shape is here recovered independently of the container shape is surprising, mysterious and stimulating. We have no clear explanation.

“This finding just emphasizes that the domain of highly nonlinear waves is still ‘terra incognita,’ or unknown territory,” Rajchenbach told LiveScience.

Rajchenbach and his colleagues Didier Clamond and Alphonse Leroux detailed their findings in a paper accepted by the journal Physical Review Letters on Feb. 1.

fom:    http://www.livescience.com/27342-star-shaped-gravity-waves.html

Developing Sunspot

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FARSIDE HOTSPOT: As big sunspot AR1678 departs, another active region is approaching. NASA’s STEREO-B probe, stationed over the farside of the sun, is monitoring a significant ultraviolet hotspot. It is circled in this 360-degree Stoneyhurst projection of the entire solar surface:

In the projection, longitudes between +90 and -90 degrees are on the Earthside of the sun; other longitudes are on the farside. The image shows that the farside active region is poised to rotate from farside to Earthside within the next couple of days. Perhaps it will bring some flares with it.

fr/spaceweather.com

Larger Scale for Uncertainty Principle

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Weird Quantum Theory Works in ‘Big’ Things

Tia Ghose, LiveScience Staff Writer
Date: 14 February 2013 Time: 02:00 PM ET
interferometer
Scientists detected the uncertainty principle in measurements of a tiny drum about 0.02 inches across, big enough for the naked eye to see
CREDIT: Tom Purdy

They knew it was true, but now they’ve shown it: Scientists have demonstrated that the uncertainty principle, one of the most famous rules of quantum physics, operates in macroscopic objects visible to the naked eye.

The principle, described by physicist Werner Heisenberg nearly a century ago, states that the mere act of measuring the position of a particle, such as an electron, necessarily disturbs its momentum. That means the more precisely you try to measure its location, the less you know about how fast it’s moving, and vice versa.

While in theory this principle operates on all objects, in practice its effects were thought to be measurable only in the tiny realm where the rules of quantum mechanics are important. In a new experiment, described in the Feb. 15 issue of the journal Science, physicists have shown that the uncertainty principle effects can be detected in a tiny drum visible to the naked eye.

Small world

The uncertainty principle is based on how disruptive any act of measurement is. If, for instance, a photon, or particle of light, from a microscope is used to view an electron, the photon will bounce off that electron and disrupt its momentum, said study co-author Tom Purdy, a physicist at JILA, a joint institute of the University of Colorado, Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

But the bigger the object, the less of an effect a bouncing photon will have on its momentum, making the uncertainty principle less and less relevant at larger scales.

In recent years, however, physicists have been pushing the limits on which scales the principle appears in. To that end, Purdy and his colleagues created a 0.02-inch-wide (0.5 millimeters) drum made of silicon nitride, a ceramic material used in spaceships, drawn tight across a silicon frame.

The tiny drum was placed between two mirrors and illuminated with laser light, and the shaking of the mirrors revealed the uncertainty principle in action.
CREDIT: Tom Purdy

They then set the drum between two mirrors, and shined laser light on it. Essentially, the drum is measured when photons bounce off the drum and deflect the mirrors a given amount, and increasing the number of photons boosts the measurement accuracy. But more photons cause greater and greater fluctuations that cause mirrors to shake violently, limiting the measurement accuracy. That extra shaking is the proof of the uncertainty principle in action. The setup was kept ultra-cold to prevent thermal fluctuations from drowning out this quantum effect.

The findings could have implications for the hunt for gravitational waves predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity. In the next few years, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO), a pair of observatories in Louisiana and Washington, is set to use tiny sensors to measure gravitational waves in space-time, and the uncertainty principle could set limits on LIGO’s measurement abilities.

LIGO’s measurements “will be many orders of magnitude more microscopic than ours,” Purdy told LiveScience.

The results of the recent experiment are novel in that they show both classical and quantum mechanics operating on the same scale, said Saurya Das, a theoretical physicist at the University of Lethbridge in Canada, who was not involved in the study.

“Half a millimeter is like something which we can actually hold in our hand,” Das told LiveScience. “Obviously classical mechanics is valid, but they make quantum mechanics relevant at that size.”

As a technical accomplishment, it’s also impressive, Das said.

“At that scale, even 10 years ago people would have thought there’s no point of doing this experiment, because you wouldn’t have seen

anything.”

from:    http://www.livescience.com/27137-uncertainty-principle-measured-macro-scale.html

More on Russian Meteor Strike

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RUSSIAN METEOR UPDATE: On Friday, February 15th at 9:30 am local time in Russia, a small asteroid struck the atmosphere over the city of Chelyabinsk and exploded. According to reports from news organizations and Russian authorities, as many as 1000 people received minor injuries from the shock wave. This is the most energetic recorded meteor strike since the Tunguska impact of 1908.

Researchers have conducted a preliminary analysis of the event. “Here is what we know so far,” says Bill Cooke, head of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office. “The asteroid was about 15 meters in diameter and weighed approximately 7000 metric tons. It struck Earth’s atmosphere at 40,000 mph (18 km/s) and broke apart about 12 to 15 miles (20 to 25 km) above Earth’s surface. The energy of the resulting explosion was in the vicinity of 300 kilotons of TNT.” (continued below)

“A shock wave propagated down and struck the city below, causing large numbers of windows to break, some walls to collapse, and minor damage throughout the city,” he continued. “When you hear about injuries, those are undoubtedly due to the effects of the shock wave, not due to fragments striking the ground. There are undoubtedly fragments on the ground, but as of this time we know of no recovered fragments that we can verify.”

Videos of the event may be found here and here. In many of the videos you can hear the sound of windows shattering as the meteor’s loud shock wave reaches the ground. Onlookers cry out in Russian as alarms and sirens sound in the background. This pair of wide-angle gif animations is also worth watching: #1, #2.

It is natural to wonder if this event has any connection to today’s record-setting flyby of asteroid 2012 DA14. Paul Chodas of the Near Earth Object Program at JPL says no. “The Russian fireball is not related to 2012 DA14 in any way. It’s an incredible coincidence that we have had these two rare events in one day.”

fr/spaceweather.com

NASA Denies Relation of Meteor to Asteroid Flyby

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RUSSIAN METEOR INJURES HUNDREDS: Ths morning, a meteor exploded in the daytime skies above Chelyabinsk, Russia. According to CNN, hundreds of people were injured, mainly from the glass fragments of windows shattered by shock waves from the explosion. It is natural to wonder if this event has any connection to today’s record-setting flyby of asteroid 2012 DA14. NASA has issued the following statement:

“The trajectory of the Russian meteorite was significantly different than the trajectory of the asteroid 2012 DA14, making it a completely unrelated object. Information is still being collected about the Russian meteorite and analysis is preliminary at this point. In videos of the meteor, it is seen to pass from left to right in front of the rising sun, which means it was traveling from north to south. Asteroid DA14’s trajectory is in the opposite direction, from south to north.”

fr/spaceweather.com

Challenges of 2013

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Some interesting stuff about the times ahead of us:  (OK, the perennial caveat, do your research.)

The Ride Has Just Begun!

The Ride Has Just Begun | in5d.com | Esoteric, Spiritual and Metaphysical Databaseby Gregg Prescott, M.S.
www.in5d.com
www.HolisticCancerResearch.com

Now that December 21st, 2012 has come and gone, was the end of the Mayan Calendar a ‘non-event’? What can we expect beyond 2012?

At face value, it seems like nothing changed as those in power continue to manipulate reality through fear propaganda but when you look closer, the changes become more evident.

We have seen an exponential increase in earth changes, such as massive earthquakes, tsunamis, mass animal die offs, land cracks, sinkholes, volcano eruptions, flooding, etc…  Perhaps these are the changes the Maya were pointing us towards?

There have been many people who theorized what the end of the Mayan calendar meant.  Here are a few of them:

Terence McKenna

Terence McKenna’s Timewave Zero philosophy was based on the premise that we are spiraling toward the singularity that culminated on December 21, 2012.

While the singularity was never attained, the illusion of time has been speeding up despite 24 hours still being 24 hours. This phenomena has been witnessed by people of all ages and cannot be solely attributed to those who are 30+ years old as a natural part of the aging process.

Ian Lungold / Carl Calleman

Carl Calleman and  Ian Lungold believed that the message of the Maya was to be found within the Mayan pyramids as each level represented a stage of consciousness, culminating in unity consciousness on October 28th, 2012.

If you look at the historic events around October 28, 2012, you’ll see there was a worldwide “Occupy” movement  that joined us as global citizens in a fight against tyranny oppression by our world leaders.  Coincidence?  I think not.

 

Lungold believed that by the end of the Mayan calendar, more of creation would be available and more possibilities would happen in less time.

 

Through the age of technology, this is happening. 40 years ago, we didn’t have computers and were unable to multitask as efficiently as we can right now.  I know, personally, that there are many times where I’ll be writing an article while listening to a video, thus accomplishing 100% more than what I could have done 40 years ago.  This also raises the learning curve exponentially as we are able to learn more in less time.

Dolores Cannon

Dolores Cannon believed that December 21, 2012 , marked the beginning of where our planet would move into the 5th dimension, adding that if people were steeped in negativity, then they would be left with the old, 3D Earth.

Cannon is a past life regression hypnotherapist who relied on the words of “them” or “they” who are multidimensional beings that provided her with this information. While it’s possible that 2012 marked the beginning of this process, no one (that I know of) has gone to 5D Earth just yet

 

 

I do love Cannon’s view of volunteer souls, who are people who volunteered to come to this planet at this point in space and time because Earth needed their services.

John Major Jenkins

John Major Jenkins is the author of many books on 2012.  I had the opportunity to interview John a few years ago and asked him about the 2012 prophecies of the Maya.

” The one and only true 2012 prophecy that I perceive is the one that exists in the Maya Creation Myth (the Popol Vuh), which is reinforced by the astral theology encoded onto the carved monuments at Izapa – the place that invented the 2012 calendar,” stated Jenkins.

“If this is the prophecy you are referring to, the first part of it has already come to pass. It has to do with the self serving egoism (Seven Macaw) controlling and deceiving people at the end of the cycle. The second part of the prophecy is indeterminate and will be experienced differently for each individual, as it involves the challenges of placing ego back into right relationship with the true eternal self (One Hunahpu), through sacrificing the illusions installed by ego. The second part of the prophecy is indeterminate, and not definitive in some kind of predetermined vision of a fated future, because free will exists.”

So Jenkins nailed it regarding egocentric attitudes and materialism.

in5d: Can we anticipate any physiological or metaphysical changes leading up to 12/21/2012, when the First Solar Lord (First Father) comes into union with the cosmic womb (Great Mother) of the Milky Way Galaxy?

JMJ: This is a very complex question and I’ve addressed it in my several books and my recent 3-CD program audio program called Unlocking the Secrets of 2012. In brief, it is now known that the precession of the equinoxes is related to ice ages, though not in a straight 26,000-year interval, as the geological and astronomical orientations combine in rather complex ways. The galactic alignment serves nicely as an anchor point for a model of seasonal changes that the earth undergoes, operating over a 26,000-year period. Some kind of relationship between the precessional wobble and cycles of change experienced by life on earth would seem to be likely. Currently unexplored relationships between us, the galactic center, and precession are suggested in the fact that we are roughly 26,000 light years from the galactic center – which I first pointed out in 1996. That there may be more of a metaphysical, or subtle, impact on consciousness is also a consideration and may be related to the diminishment of the magnetic field surrounding the earth – I summarized Oliver Reiser’s work on this in my 2002 book Galactic Alignment. As a mythological construct within an ancient astro-theology of eschatology and spiritual transformation, the alignment of solar father and galactic mother can, of course, inspire initiations into authentic mystical experience for those who choose to avail themselves of the age-old perennial methods.

George Kavassilas

 

Kavassilas has always been on the 2013 spring equinox bandwagon and believes this when the transition occurs, adding that the December 21, 2012 Mayan calendar end date was the beginning point of the transformational process.

David Wilcock

Wilcock has been the poster boy of 2012 and his research has unearthed many amazing points of interest surrounding December 21, 2012. One of the more fascinating subjects involves the Montauk Chair, which was used as a psychic amplifier for remote viewing.  According to Wilcock’s research, every time the participants tried to go past December 21, 2012, they would hit a “bump” and would receive a “Christ consciousness” ability where they innately knew that answers to all universal questions.

In Wilcock’s defense, his material is based on the research of other people’s material and is a culmination of that research.

I bought Wilcock’s book, ” The Source Field Investigations: The Hidden Science and Lost Civilizations behind the 2012 Prophecies” and found it to be absolutely fascinating, especially his research into free energy systems and how they can be implemented right now.

David Icke

Icke has consistently stated that December 21, 2012 would be a non-event, but added that we are heading toward a period in time where a great awakening will occur culminating into a consciousness shift after we finally wake up to realize who we really are.

 

According to Icke, you are not the name you think you are (e.g. Icke says, ‘I am not David Icke'”). “We are infinite consciousness that never dies.  Therefore, if we consider ourselves to be physical people, there is no David Icke.  David Icke is just a name for an experience infinite consciousness is having in this reality. That’s why we constantly push into that disconnected state where we identify who we are with what we’re doing. People identify who they are by their jobs. They say, “Well what are you?”  “I am a coalminer.”  “I sweep the streets.” “I am an airline pilot.” Then we judge who they are, and they judge who they are, by what they’re doing. It’s just an experience.”

Gregg Prescott

My journey began when I was about 12 years old, but it kicked into overdrive when I found out about the Mayan calendar. That’s why I built a website to show how December 21st, 2012 was NOT the end of the world. I tried to show as many perspectives as possible while letting the reader discern their own truths.

As my journey progressed, I realized the importance of the cycles of time and how history repeats itself up until the point of where we finally learn the lessons of what the past has shown us. Right now, Pluto is in Capricorn.  The last time this astrological alignment occurred was during the American Revolution in 1776.  If you look around the world, you’ll see many revolutions going on right now.  This is not a coincidence.  Pluto remains in Capricorn until 2023, so we will continue to see a complete breakdown of everything that is corrupt, along with the replacement of new systems that are in harmony and balance with the Age of Aquarius.

 

Now that we’ve gone down the rabbit hole, there is no turning back to “life as you knew it”.  You are now awakened and your path is clear. Yes, the old paradigm will continue to hold on to their ways of tyranny and oppression through fear, but it is inevitable that they will all collapse. This is why Pluto is known as the “destroyer” but what it is destroying is that of which is unsustainable. For those who are unawakened, it will literally seem like the end of the world, which is true.  It will be the end of the world as we know it.  For those who can see what’s coming, it marks the end of the war-mongering, patriarchal society while announcing the beginning of the Divine Feminine cycle.

What traditionally happens at the end of the Divine Feminine cycle is famine and starvation through over-nurturing. If we are to truly learn from the cycles of time, then we need to apply a balance of both the masculine and feminine energies.

Becoming 5th dimensional beings is our natural progression.  As evidenced through various psychic sources, we already know these beings exists on a higher vibratory level.  Because our 3rd dimensional bodies are unable to access these vibration levels, many pundits will continue to debunk this philosophy as pseudoscience because everything needs to be concrete to these people as they are unable to think outside the box and see the possibilities that exist outside a 3rd dimensional perspective.

Truly, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.  Despite the events that happened, or didn’t happen on December 21st, 2012, we must stay focused on positive thoughts and intentions more than ever as we transition out of the Age of Pisces and into the Age of Aquarius.

The ride didn’t end on December 21st, 2012.  It just began.

from:    http://www.in5d.com/the-ride-has-just-begun.html

Lightning Strikes the Vatican — Literally

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Act of God? Lightning Strikes St. Peter’s Dome

Lightning strikes St. Peter’s Basilica on Feb. 11, 2013, a few hours after Pope Benedict XVI said he was resigning.
Youtube video still

Monday’s (Feb. 11) surprising announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he was resigning from the papacy struck some observers like a bolt out of the blue.

And a few hours later, an actual bolt of lightning struck St. Peter’s Basilica, the centerpiece of the Vatican and one of the holiest sites in Christendom, NBC News reported.

Was the lightning strike, coming just hours after Pope Benedict’s announcement, evidence of God’s wrath, or some ominous sign from above? Perhaps, but it was more likely the natural result of a rainstorm that was passing over Rome at the time.

Lightning often strikes religious symbols, because they are usually placed high in the sky and are, in many cases, the highest thing around. Coupled with the fact that they’re often made of metal, lightning striking religious statuary or other icons seems quite normal.

Brazil’s 130-foot “Christ the Redeemer” statue atop Rio de Janeiro’s Sugarloaf Mountain, for example, has been struck by lightning several times since it was completed in 1931.

Secular objects are also often struck by lightning. Airplanes are struck by lightning frequently, and the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and other tall buildings have all been hit.

St. Peter’s Basilica is the tallest dome in the world at 448 feet (137 meters) from the floor to the cross that was added to the very top by Pope Clement VIII in the 16th century. A lightning rod points skyward from the top of that cross — it’s likely that this is what was struck by lightning Monday.

from:    http://news.discovery.com/earth/weather-extreme-events/lightning-strikes-st-peter-s-after-pope-resigns-130213.htm

hmmm.  Perhaps just too synchronistic to be chance!

 

Pope’s Resignation—Doomsday Herald?

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Resigning Pope Brings Doomsday Prophecy

Feb 13, 2013 12:12 PM ET // by Rossella Lorenzi

Is the world only a Pope away from the End? Yes, if you believe a chilling 12th-century prophecy.

Attributed to St. Malachy, an Irish archbishop canonized in 1190, the Prophecy of the Popes would date to 1139. The document predicted that there would be only 112 more popes before the Last Judgment — and Benedict XVI is 111.

The list of popes originated from a vision Malachy said he received from God when he was in Rome, reporting on his diocese to Pope Innocent II.

The story goes that St. Malachy gave the apocalyptic list to Innocent II and that the document remained unknown in the Vatican Archives some 440 years after Malachy’s death in 1148. It was rediscovered and published by Benedictine Arnold de Wyon in 1590.

The prophecy consists of brief, cryptic phrases in Latin about each Pope. It ends with the 112th pope, named “Petrus Romanus” or “Peter the Roman.”

According to the premonition, Peter the Roman would “feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the City of the Seven Hills shall be utterly destroyed, and the awful Judge will judge the people.”

Often highly enigmatic, several prophetical announcements in the document appear to have come true.

For example, Malachy prophesied the first pope on his list would be “from a castle on the Tiber.” Celestine II, elected in 1143, was born in Toscany on the shores of the Tiber River.

Malachy predicted another pope would be “elevated from a hermit.” Nicholas IV, pope from 1288 to 1292, had been a hermit in the monastery of Pouilles.

The 45th pope in the prophecy is described as coming “from the hell of Pregnani”. Indeed, Pope Urban VI (1378-1389) was born Domenico Prignano and came from a village near Naples called Inferno (hell).

Most scholars consider the document a 16th-century elaborate hoax. Until 1590, when the prophecy was published, the mottoes were easily derived from the pope’s family, baptismal names, native places or coats of arms.

After 1590 the epithets become much more vague. According to the Catholic Pages, “the inclusion of anti-popes would also appear to militate against the authenticity of the prophecies.”

Yet, uncanny similarities also appear when reading the mottoes associated to modern-day popes.

For example, the 109th pope is described as “of the half of the moon.” John Paul I, elected pope in 1978, “lasted about a month, from half a moon to the next half,” the Catholic Pages noted.

As for his successor, the late Pope John Paul II, Malachy described him in Latin as “de labore solis,” meaning “of the eclipse of the sun, or from the labor of the sun.”

“John Paul II (1978-2005) was born on May 18, 1920 during a solar eclipse… His Funeral occurred on April 8, 2005 when there was a solar eclipse visible in the Americas,” the Catholic Pages wrote.

Finally, “Glory of the Olives” is the motto for Benedict XVI, the 111th pope in the list. A branch of the monastic order founded by St. Benedict is called the Olivetans.

As for the doomsday pope, one would think we are quite safe: according to church tradition, no pope can take the name Peter II.

However, one of the favorites to succeed Benedict XVI is Ghanaian Cardinal Turkson. His first name is Peter.

from:    http://news.discovery.com/history/resigning-pope-brings-doomsday-prophecy-130213.htm

Metal Object on Mars?

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Well, NASA scientists say no way!  Do your research.

Metal On Mars? Shiny Object Seen By Curiosity Rover Explained By NASA Scientists (PHOTOS)

Posted: 02/12/2013

Mars Metal

By: Mike Wall
Published: 02/12/2013 02:13 PM EST on SPACE.com

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has photographed a shiny, metallic-looking object that bears a passing resemblance to a door handle or a hood ornament.

The Curiosity rover has not stumbled onto evidence of an ancient civilization that took the family van to Olympus Mons for vacation, however. The object is simply a rock that the wind has sculpted into an interesting shape, scientists said.

mars metal

NASA’s original image, with the object at top-center.
“The shiny surface suggests that this rock has a fine grain and is relatively hard,” Curiosity scientists wrote Monday (Feb. 11) in an explainer blurb accompanying the image, which was taken on Jan. 30. “Hard, fine-grained rocks can be polished by the wind to form very smooth surfaces.”

Similar “ventifacted” (wind-eroded) rocks can be found here on Earth, notably on the dry, gusty plains of Antarctica, they added.

The newfound rock is not the first shiny object Curiosity has photographed on the Red Planet.

In October, the car-size rover paused its first soil-scooping activities to investigate a bright sliver lying on the ground nearby. Scientists think the scrap is a piece of plastic debris that shook loose during the robot’s dramatic sky-crane landing on the night of Aug. 5.

Later in October, Curiosity spotted bright flecks in one of the holes it dug out while scooping. That material appears to be some sort of native Martian mineral, as does the so-called “Mars flower,” which garnered a lot of attention after Curiosity photographed it in December.

While such finds may be be interesting to laypeople and researchers alike, Curiosity has bigger fish to fry. The rover’s main task is to determine whether its landing site — a huge crater called Gale — could ever have supported microbial life.

Curiosity carries 10 different scientific instruments and 17 cameras to aid in this quest, along with other tools such as a rock-boring drill. Curiosity used this drill to collect samples for the first time over the weekend, boring 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) into a Red Planet rock in a move that had never been done before on another planet.

from:    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/mars-metal-shiny-object-nasa-curiosity-rover_n_2671432.html