Sharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X @skuthunur
This summer, a group of scientists will travel to Oregon's snow-capped Mt. Hood to train a dog-shaped robot named Spirit how to walk. The slopes of Mt. Hood are strewn with volcanic rocks and sprinkled with glaciers, a rugged environment that researchers think resembles the moon — which Spirit is being prepared to eventually explore.
Related: Humanity's future on the moon: Why Russia, India and other countries are racing to the lunar south pole Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter nowGet the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. The moon may someday even become a collaborative workplace for teams of legged and wheeled robots that work together to avoid hazards. Earlier this year, NASA funded $2 million to researchers at USC and the University of Pennsylvania to create algorithms that will allow multiple robots to link together, exchange local ground conditions and collaboratively map out a safe path forward.
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