rock

If microbe fossils are on Mars, a rock quarry in Algeria might lead us to them

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a pinkish-brown rock resembling a rose

Scientists searching for the fossilized remains of ancient microbes on Mars now have a better idea of what signs they should be looking for, thanks to a new study of Earthly microbial fossils embedded in the mineral gypsum that was produced when the Mediterranean Ocean dried up over 5 million years ago. Mars was once … Read more

Want to find a black hole? Pick up a rock

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This artist’s concept shows many tiny primordial black holes. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center While black holes are perplexing at any size, some of the most mysterious are hypothetical primordial black holes, those that sprung into existence in the first second after the Big Bang and some of which are featherweights on the black … Read more