Does the rovers camera(s) have sufficient magnification to see micro-fossils such as tiny sea shells?
If fossils are present in the surface material (or near the surface) examined by the micro-imager and the fossils are large enough, we should see them. Part of the problem is knowing where to look. More interest will be placed on rocks that appear to exhibit sedimentary properties. The micro-imager can see a few times greater than our eyes, but not as small as a microscope in the lab, so whether or not the micro-imager can see them depends on how big they are. Expert: Janice Bishop SETI Institute P.I. NASA Ames Research Center Question: Hello, The viking landers used a nuclear thermo-electric power source, which allowed them to run for well over a year in the martian environment. Why were solar panels used on the exploration rovers? If a nuclear power source were used instead, what would be the likely cause of the end of the mission? I understand the current mission is limited by waning daylight during the “winter” months, dust covering the solar cells, and a limited number of recharge
