What can Mars Rocks teach us about life on Earth?

It was kind of a real surprise, but it looks like Earth and Mars are pretty similar in a lot of way in terms of the geology.

It's Wednesday, May 8th, and you're listening to Science Friday.

I'm SciFri producer Charles Bergquist.

The dry, dusty plains of Mars might not look a lot like home.

But by studying Martian geology, scientists are hoping to learn something about the early days of our own planet.

From plate tectonics to how the crust formed.

Here's Ira Flato.

Dr. Valerie Pirey is an assistant professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Iowa in Iowa City and she studies the geologic

history of Mars and other planets with the aim of better understanding our own. Welcome to the program,

Dr. Pairoi. Thank you very much for having me.

It's nice to have you. You know, given the stark nature of the Martian landscape versus the

black fertile ground in Iowa, I wouldn't think that they would be connected somehow. For example,

if you look at pictures of Mars sent back by the rovers, you see lots of red rocks.

What are they geologically?

Is there something on Earth that's like them?

Obviously, you must be able to connect the dots here, or the rocks here.

Yes, that's a great question.

Rocks on Mars are pretty similar, actually, to what we find on Earth.

And we thought that Mars rocks were mainly basalts, looking like rocks that we find in Hawaii, for example.

So kind of lava flows all over Mars.

And with the recent missions from the Curiosity rover that is still operating at the surface of Mars today.

...