Curiosity rover delivered its first powdered sample of Mars soil Drilled out of the Martian rock a couple of weeks ago. NASA scientists are now waiting for the rover to digest the sample, analyse it using its onboard chemistry-science lab and beam back the results. The sample will give NASA researchers a view into Mars's past, free from the chemical weathering of the planet's surface. The grey powder in Curiosity's scoop is strikingly different from the rust-coloured soil we associate with the Red Planet. The big question is will the sample yieldfor signs that Mars has ever been capable of supporting life.