Coral-shaped rock spotted on Mars, NASA shares pic
In a fascinating discovery, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has sent back black and white images of a rock on the Martian surface that bears an uncanny resemblance to a piece of coral. The rock, discovered in the Gale Crater, a large impact basin on Mars, has left scientists intrigued and excited.
The coral-like rock was captured by the rover’s ChemCam, a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy instrument that uses a high-powered laser to vaporize rock samples and analyze their chemical composition. The resulting images, shared by NASA, show a rock with a unique, coral-shaped structure that is unlike anything seen before on the Red Planet.
According to NASA, the newly discovered coral-like rock is believed to be around a billion years old, dating back to a time when Mars was still a wet and warm planet. The rock’s unusual shape and structure are likely the result of erosion and weathering over millions of years, which have shaped the Martian surface into its distinctive features.
The Gale Crater, where the rock was found, is a significant region of scientific interest due to its potential to provide insights into Mars’ geological history. The crater is approximately 96 miles (154 kilometers) in diameter and is believed to have been formed around 3.5 billion years ago, when a massive asteroid struck the Martian surface.
The Curiosity rover, which has been exploring the Gale Crater since 2012, has been collecting data and samples from the region, including the coral-like rock. The rover’s mission is to search for signs of past or present life on Mars, and the discovery of this unusual rock is a significant find that could provide valuable insights into the planet’s geological history.
The coral-like rock is not the only unusual feature found on Mars by the Curiosity rover. In the past, the rover has discovered a variety of strange and fascinating geological formations, including rocks shaped like tiny pancakes, and sedimentary deposits that resemble ancient lake beds.
The discovery of the coral-like rock is a testament to the ongoing efforts of NASA’s Curiosity rover to explore and understand the Martian surface. The rover’s findings have greatly expanded our knowledge of the Red Planet and its potential to support life, and continue to inspire new generations of scientists and explorers.
About the Image
The image of the coral-like rock was captured by the Curiosity rover’s ChemCam instrument on June 25, 2022. The image shows the rock’s unique shape and structure, with its coral-like patterns and ridges. The image is in black and white, as the ChemCam instrument does not capture color information. However, the image is still striking and provides a glimpse into the geological wonders that await us on Mars.
News Source
For more information on the Curiosity rover and its findings on Mars, please visit the NASA website at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia26634-curiositys-chemcam-views-a-rock-shaped-like-coral/.
