Future Martian geologists. "This rock has no business being here. There must have been a glacier at some point that moved it here."
"this structure is not a natural formation. someone must have built it, so it must lead somewhere." vibes
Aliens!!
The tracks lead to the rover.
I wonder if there'd be a different prefix for a Martian geologists. I suppose they could be called areologists?
Those brave men and women who gave their all to study the areola, no matter the cost
E: but aresiologer sounds cool
What are you, an etymologist?
Crazy haired martain: EARTHLINGS
I used to think that data was easily preserved, so clearly it'd be around for future generations
I no longer think this to be true - not without extensive work to keep it alive
That is the first rock to be picked up, carried for a year, and deposited elsewhere on the same not-Earth planet, by humans via the rover. That rock would never have ended up where it did were it not for chance human intervention.
While fairly pointless, it’s still interesting.
Truly one of humanity's greatest accomplishments.
Rock moving has been a part of our existential comfort/answer/justification for so long that now we are even having a joy out of it when we can do it on another planet.
Reminds me of this: https://youtu.be/ndj_dS4jImA?t=436
Go go gadget anthropomorphization
Henshin
maybe the real friends are the mineral samples we collect along the way
No no no. Unacceptable. I say we send a manned mission up to Mars, and reunite the rover with the pet rock.
This is the most important thing of this or any other generation. This will be the Zoomers moon landing moment. Disney will somehow own the copyright to this moment in 200 years, and make a largely ficticious, but partially inspired animated film based on this mission.
This is the first I'm hearing of this.
So long and thanks for all the dust.
Permanently Deleted
do we know where we lost the stone so someone can go pick it up in the future?
Martian colony, 2224, your guide at the Museum of Mars: And here we have the famous hitchhiking stone, which was retrieved after a 3500 kilometer trek from the colonial landing site to reclaim the Perseverance so that these two old friends could finally be reunited in time for the 200th year anniversary of their untimely separation.
"Don't forget to stop by the give shop and pick up your 'hitchhiking stone' keychain!"
"Why do they call a cheap piece of plastic shaped like the rock with a small split ring attached to it a 'keychain'? What does any of this have to do with digital encryption keys?"
"I don't know either, but make sure to buy one as a souvenir."
Longer than a lot of my relationships...
Reached its destination.
Goodbye old friend
So what was it's name?
Balboa
