Curiosity Timelapse Reveals How Martian Sand Moves and Wheels Endure

NASA released a two‑minute timelapse from the Curiosity rover spanning six years at Gale Crater to study how sand grains shift on the rover’s deck as it climbs Mount Sharp; the footage helps scientists separate wheel‑driven sand from wind‑blown dust, part of broader findings about Mars’ past habitability and ongoing challenges like wheel wear, with Curiosity having traveled about 23 miles since landing in 2012, and NASA continuing engineering tweaks to keep the rover moving.