Scientists recently made a discovery on Mars with NASA’s Perseverance rover. The rover is currently exploring a crater on the planet that may help scientists learn more about ancient life on the planet.
The Perseverance rover has been on Mars since 2021. Its mission was to specifically probe the ancient Jezero crater. Several weeks ago, it stumbled upon a mysterious light-toned boulder – the first of its kind seen on the planet.
The rover found the boulder while traversing the Neretva Vallis, a dried river delta that flowed into the crater lifetimes ago. It was going to an area inside the rim filled with rocky outcrops under examination for sediment that could provide more insight into Mars’ history.
The discovery was a mistake. It happened when the rover changed course along its route to avoid rough terrain. On the shortcut through a dune field, it reached a hill called Mount Washburn.
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According to NASA, there were many boulders on the hill, some of which reportedly belonged to a variety they had never seen on Mars before. This was an exciting discovery, but what really caught the operators’ eye was a small boulder.
It measures roughly 18 inches across and 14 inches tall. It has speckles and a light tone, which makes it easier to spot among a field of darker boulders.
Brad Garczynski of Western Washington University co-leads the ongoing Perseverance mission. He and his team have nicknamed the mysterious boulder Atoko Point. Upon more profound examination of the rock using the rover’s instruments, they believe its components include minerals pyroxene and feldspar.
According to NASA, the rock stands out from all other Martian sediment scientists have encountered on Mars. Its peculiar size and shape, combined with the overall arrangement of minerals and the boulder’s potential chemical composition, make it unique.
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The minerals it potentially contains are also found in the Earth’s crust and on the moon. Scientists on the Perseverance team have speculated that the minerals on it originated from magma. They suspect it came from below the surface and was brought to the surface of the Jezero crater over time, thanks to erosion.
Some also speculate that the boulder stood out because it may have come from a different part of Mars. They suspect it may have moved with the ancient river channel to its present location on the rim. The perseverance scientists agree that there must be more information on where it came from.
The rover discovered Atoko Point during its fourth “campaign” on Mars. This time, its objective is to find evidence of carbonate and olivine deposits in the interior of the Jezero crater.
Both groups of minerals are found on Earth and are of interest to scientists studying Mars. They are essentially time capsules that can store data from the past for long periods.
Finding carbonate in the Martian crater could reveal more about ancient life on the planet preserved within the mineral itself. Olivine can help them understand if the Martian climate was ever conducive to organic compounds and, potentially, life.
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This may help scientists determine whether Mars’ current landscape could support human life. It could also provide insight into the origins and evolution of life on Earth.
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