Mars rover Curiosity discovers sulfur rocks: 'It's like finding an oasis in the desert,' says scientist
While exploring an area of Mars rich in sulfur compounds called sulfates, the Curiosity rover discovered rocks made of sulfur. Scientists were excited by the fact that pure sulfur exists on Mars, calling it a 'most unexpected discovery.'
NASA's Curiosity Rover Discovers a Surprise in a Martian Rock - NASA
NASA's Curiosity rover makes its 'most unexpected' find on Mars | CNN
The Mars rover Curiosity has been exploring specific sulfate-rich areas since October 2023. Until now, it had only found a mixture of sulfur and other substances, but one day, a rock that Curiosity ran over accidentally cracked, revealing 'yellow crystals.'
Upon closer inspection, NASA researchers discovered that the crystals were pure sulfur, a discovery they described as 'completely unexpected.'
'Finding a field of pure sulfur rocks is like finding an oasis in the desert: it doesn't belong there, so you have to explain why it's there,' said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity project scientist. 'It's exciting to discover something strange and unexpected.'
Pure sulfur is found mainly in places like hydrothermal vents on Earth. 'At first I thought it was debris carried by water channels, but I think it's safe to assume that it was formed uniformly in a specific area,' Vasavada said. The area Curiosity was exploring this time is said to have been eroded by water flows, and Vasavada commented that this discovery will help us better understand how the Martian terrain has changed.
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