August 20, 2012 | Rohan

It’s funny how in movies robots from Mars invade Earth using lasers. Now NASA’s rover Curiosity is the one carrying a laser. To test it the rover shot an innocent-looking Martian rock.

But this isn’t just for fun. Curiosity, which touched down on Mars two weeks ago, is also carrying an instrument called ChemCam. This contraption a bit like a telescope looks at the laser blast and can tell what elements the target is made of.

Curiosity will now use its laser and ChemCam to investigate the rocks it exposed when it landed. I hope it finds a few surprises along the way.