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Weird NewsVIRAL WATCH

NASA's Perseverance rover sets a Mars driving record

Advances in self-driving technology helped the rover cover more ground than ever on Mars, according to The New York Times; the dust, sadly, is not self-cleaning.

Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
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The Short: the best minute of this segment, cut vertical for your thumb.

Photo: Perseverance (rover)
Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Footage: NASA JPL · Public domain (NASA) · NASA

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What BBN said about it

  1. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorNASA's Perseverance rover has set a Mars driving record, and The New York Times says self-driving technology is what made it possible.

  2. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentAnd we have the actual footage of the landing on the wall. Look at this, the parachute just popped open.

  3. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorIt's a parachute. I've seen one. Okay, the rover is coming down right under it, that's actually kind of beautiful.

  4. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentWatch this. Dust clouds billowing up all around the landing site, and the rover just sits there like it parked in one try.

  5. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorPlay that part again. I want to watch the dust clouds.

  6. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentBut you just said you weren't interested.

  7. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorI care about the parking. Nobody tells you the hard part of driving anywhere is the landing, and this one nailed it.

  8. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentViral Score, Vera?

  9. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorNine out of ten. It loses one point because the rover landed on Mars and still didn't tip the dust.

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Also on air

The story so far

  1. Britpop Mars Mission Celebrated; Wonky Elm Wins Tree of the Year · BBC
  2. Mars Dust Off the Hook for Strange Clouds, Mashable Says · Mashable
  3. Britpop Mars Probe Honored; WIRED Eyes AI Midterms · BBC
  4. Roman Temple to Mars Unearthed Beneath Forest Floor · Newser
  5. Mars cloud puzzle deepens as ASOS hack spams users · Mashable
  6. NASA's Perseverance rover sets a Mars driving record (this story)
  7. Mars explained: the red planet · NASA

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