Curiosity Rover Discovers Pure Sulfur On Mars | A Science Hero, Lost and Found

Jul 26, 2024

Andrea Wulf, a renowned author specializing in nature and science history, discusses NASA's Curiosity rover's groundbreaking discovery of pure sulfur on Mars, hinting at the planet's ancient water past. She revisits the legacy of Alexander von Humboldt, a pioneering figure often overshadowed in science history, who linked nature's interconnectedness and influenced great thinkers like Darwin. Wulf argues for Humboldt's vital role in modern environmentalism, aiming to restore his significance to contemporary discussions.

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ANECDOTE

Accidental Sulfur Discovery

NASA’s Curiosity rover accidentally ran over a rock, cracking it open.
Inside were pure sulfur crystals, a first-time discovery on Mars, raising questions about the planet's history.

INSIGHT

Melting Glaciers Lengthen Days

Melting glaciers, caused by climate change, are causing the Earth's rotation to slow down.
This is lengthening the day by milliseconds annually, a rate expected to double if climate change worsens.

INSIGHT

Nature's Comeback at Lake Powell

The shrinking of Lake Powell due to climate change has a positive side effect: the resurgence of native plants and animals.
Alex Hager's reporting trip with scientists revealed thriving ecosystems returning to Glen Canyon.

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In a first, NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered pure sulfur on Mars. And, we revisit a conversation from 2015 about Alexander von Humboldt and Andrea Wulf's “The Invention of Nature,” which is our August book club pick.

Curiosity Rover Discovers Pure Sulfur On Mars

NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover ran over a rock, which cracked open to reveal pure sulfur crystals. This was the first time pure sulfur has been discovered on the planet. The rover found many other similar rocks nearby, raising questions about the geologic history of the location.

Ira talks with Alex Hager, who covers water in the West for KUNC, about Martian sulfur rocks and other top science stories of the week, including melting glaciers increasing the length of the day, life rebounding at Lake Powell, a rare whale and new research on how psilocybin rewires the brain.

A Science Hero, Lost and Found

Alexander von Humboldt was a globetrotting explorer, scientist, environmentalist, and the second-most famous man in Europe—after Napoleon. So why haven’t you heard of him? This week we revisit an interview with writer and historian Andrea Wulf, whose 2015 book The Invention of Nature aims to restore Humboldt to his rightful place in science history. Not only did this singular polymath pioneer the idea that nature is an interconnected system, but, Wulf argues, he was also the lost father of environmentalism.

Ira speaks with Wulf about the man who inspired the likes of Darwin, Thoreau, and Muir, whom contemporaries called “the Shakespeare of the Sciences.”

If this book sounds like a great read for your upcoming vacation, you’re in luck! The SciFri Book Club is reading The Invention Of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wulf in August. Find out all you need to know, including how to win a free book on our website.

Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

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