Episode 17 How to Read the Rocks of Mars

How can scientists look at a rock on Mars and know that a river or lake existed there billions of years ago? In Episode 17 of The Mars Explorer, we become planetary geology detectives and learn how scientists read the Martian landscape. From sedimentary layers and rounded pebbles to minerals, volcanic rocks and wind-blown deposits, each clue helps reconstruct the history of the Red Planet. Discover how rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance turn seemingly ordinary rocks into evidence of ancient rivers, lakes, volcanoes and changing environments—and why scientists usually need multiple clues before deciding what happened on Mars. If you enjoy exploring Mars and discovering how we know what happened there, subscribe to The Mars Explorer and join us for the next episode, when we investigate the powerful forces that shaped the planet—water, wind, ice, fire and impacts.