Brock professor joins Mars sample return mission, collecting ancient rocks on Earth

A Brock University professor is part of a group of scientists collecting ancient rocks on Earth, that will play an important role in the quest to learn more about Mars.

Professor of Earth Sciences Mariek Schmidt recently returned from a trip to the Isle of Rum in Scotland.

The island is characterized by dramatic mountains and extinct volcanoes.

It’s one of several sites that scientists are visiting to collect rock samples, as part of the Mars sample return campaign led by NASA and the European Space Agency.

READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth statue coming to Ontario legislature after delay, govt fronts $1.5M

The campaign is assembling a defined set of rock samples from around the world that are comparable to those found on the red planet.

This October, Schmidt will be leading a sample collection from thick lava flows at Hart Mountain in southeastern Oregon.

In all, 200 to 300 kilograms of rock will be collected from each of the five to six sites across the world.

READ MORE: Low-cost PLAY airline expanding flights from Hamilton to Frankfurt