Death Valley is famous among geologists because it offers the chance to study a variety of exposed and accessible ancient rock.
The mountains of Death Valley are dry and sparsely vegetated, supporting some grasses and the odd creosote bush and cactus.
Caltech's John Grotzinger, lead scientist for the Curiosity Mars rover mission, likes to get white cars for his geology field trips, so he can use the vehicles as mobile dry erase boards.
A coachwhip — a fast-moving, nonvenomous snake — cruised through the courtyard of our hotel in Shoshone, Calif., on April 30, 2012.
A rusty old bed frame bakes in the Death Valley sun. Many prospectors came here in the early to mid-20th century to seek their fortunes in precious metals, but few struck it big.
An old talc mine in Death Valley. Nearby are great fossils of billion-year-old stromatolites, mound-like structures built by sediment-trapping microbial mats.
Caltech's John Grotzinger, lead scientist for NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, discusses Death Valley geology and points out our route up a slope on May 1, 2012.
An ancient lake bed sits beyond a mountain range in Death Valley.
A group of science reporters hikes up a Death Valley slope on May 1, 2012.