Two small pieces of rock on the surface of Mars were named after words of the Cypriot dialect, ‘zavos (i.e. ’tiltedl/ not straight’) and ‘mutti’ (i.e. peak, highest point).
The two rocks are adjacent to the stationary InSight lander and are to be documented, analyzed and featured in articles and conferences. They were given their names by Dr Konstantinos Charalambous, one of the scientists who take part in NASA’s InSight mission. The 33-year-old Cypriot scientist, who holds a PhD in Planetary Sciences from London’s Imperieal College, suggested the names, in a least featuring other Cypriot word and their meanings.
“So, somewhere there on the planet Mars there is a small piece of our Cyprus,” Dr Charalambous said, talking to the Cyprus News Agency.
[source: Cyprus News Agency]