Alex Jones presents: Unlocking the Secrets of the Red Planet

What secrets do Mars’ rocks hold?

The red planet is now a barren desert landscape, cold and inhospitable for life. But the surface of the Mars is covered in evidence for ancient rivers, floods and lakes, suggesting the planet may have been warmer, wetter and more pleasant for life in the distant past.

In this talk, Alex Jones, a student collaborator on the NASA Perseverance rover mission, will take us on a journey to Jezero crater – the site of an ancient Martian lakebed. He will share how the rover’s exploration of rocks and minerals is shedding light on Mars’ ancient habitability and potential to have supported life.

Originally from Truro, Alex is now a PhD researcher at Imperial College London and student collaborator on the NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission. He works on mission operations for the Mastcam-Z camera instrument, and analyses images collected by the rover to help understand ancient geologic processes that occurred on Mars.

Entry from 5:30pm and talk to begin at 6pm

The talk will be an hour long and there will be a Q&A.

Refreshments available

Whole museum open

Chill out zone available

Accessibility and pre visit information

Tickets include entry to the event, evening entry to the museum, and access to the museum shop. Refreshments will also be available to buy on the night e.g. soft drinks, tea, coffee, and snacks.

Host or Publisher Royal Cornwall Museum