April 29, 2009--The youngest crater ever found by a Mars rover, Resolution clocks in at a mere hundred thousand years old. By contrast, some of the craters seen so far by the Mars rover Opportunity seem to date back more than three billion years.

Rocks scattered by the impact that formed Resolution are still fresh and sharp--clues to its status as a relative newborn. Over time these rocks will be eroded by Martian winds, and the crater bowl will fill with sand. Comparing this whippersnapper to older craters can therefore help researchers figure out how fast wind action changes the red planet's surface.