Technologies

NASA isn’t sure if the Perseverance Mars rover got its first rock sample

NASA is still checking to see if the rock core is where it’s supposed to be, or if another sample has disappeared.

This story is part of Welcome to Mars, our series exploring the red planet.

Success at last? NASA’s Perseverance rover may have accomplished a big first for its Mars mission by drilling and capturing a rock sample that could one day be brought back to Earth, but there’s still some doubt.

The rover had previously attempted to collect a first sample, but ended up with an empty tube when the rock crumbled. The second attempt from a different rock looks promising. Raw images sent back from Mars appear to show a rock core tucked into place as expected, though we’re waiting on official confirmation from NASA.

NASA shared a look at the sample on Thursday, but wasn’t ready to declare success just yet, saying that pictures taken after an arm move «are inconclusive due to poor lighting.» The rover will snap some more close-ups to figure out what’s going on.

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«Sampling Mars is underway. I’ve drilled into my rock target, and my team will be looking at more data and images to confirm if we were able to get and retain an intact core,» the rover team tweeted earlier on Thursday along with a picture of the rock target.

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Perseverance is equipped with 43 sample tubes, one of which is full of Martian atmosphere after the first attempt. NASA is planning a future mission to retrieve the tubes from Mars and bring them back to Earth for study. It’s the rover’s job to fill them up with interesting geologic finds.

Successfully filling and stashing a tube with Martian rock is a critical step that will show the sampling system is working properly. The target rock is named «Rochette» and the rover team spent time inspecting it by grinding away a bit of the outer surface to get a better look prior to drilling.

Some omages of the rock and the drill hole show what looks like a clean operation, so there’s hope it went as planned. Perseverance landed in February, but it’s still early into its mission to seek out signs of ancient microbial life in the Jezero Crater, an area once covered by a lake.

The crater is dry and dusty now, but it has lots of stories to tell. Perseverance’s first rock sample will be one chapter in that intriguing tale.

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Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for April 7, #1753

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for April 7, No. 1,753.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle wasn’t too tricky, for a change. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has one repeated letter.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel, but it’s the repeated letter, so you’ll see it twice.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with D.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with E.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can relate to something that is closely compacted.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is DENSE.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, April 6, No. 1752, was SWORN.

Recent Wordle answers

April 2, No. 1748: SOBER

April 3, No. 1749: SINGE

April 4, No. 1750: SANDY

April 5, No. 1751: ENVOY

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

Don’t be afraid to use our tip sheet ranking all the letters in the alphabet by frequency of uses. In short, you want starter words that lean heavy on E, A and R, and don’t contain Z, J and Q.

Some solid starter words to try:

ADIEU

TRAIN

STARE

NOISE

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, April 7

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 7.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.