dust storm

Canberra, Melbourne and other areas of southeast Australia were hit by golf-ball-sized hail that destroyed car windshields, killed birds and shredded the leaves off trees.

As the dust storm grows and the solar-paneled Opportunity remains asleep, the younger Curiosity rover has been able to power through.

Right now, the government rents farmland to help protect soil and water. But once the land is farmed again, the benefits disappear. Environmentalists want to change that.