NASA’s Perseverance rover has sent back images of a mysterious black-and-white-striped rock found on Mars that is completely new to scientists.
NASA’s Perseverance rover has spotted a strange “zebra” rock in Mars’ Jezero Craterwhich looks nothing like any of the rocks on the Red Planet. Scientists received the images on September 13, after Perseverance had already left the area. The rock, which scientists have nicknamed “Freya Castle”, has a consistency never seen before. “Our knowledge of its chemical composition is limited, but early interpretations are that igneous and/or metamorphic processes may have created its streaks,” NASA representatives said. Igneous processes are those linked to the crystallization of magma, while metamorphic processes are changes in the composition of rocks due to high heat and pressure.
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What we know about the strange “zebra” rock found on Mars
The strange rock measures about 20 centimeters in diameter. It is different from the ground beneath it, which suggests it originated somewhere else, according to NASA. One possibility is that the rock may have rolled down from higher up the crater. “This possibility excites us,” the scientists said. “We hope Perseverance encounters an outcrop of this new type of rock so we can acquire more detailed measurements.”
Perseverance’s next targets on Mars
Perseverance is currently climbing the steep slopes, where it first landed in February 2021. It’s been almost a month since the rover began its ascent. Progress was slow at first, but in recent days the rover has been traveling along flatter stretches of terrain. The spacecraft has completed four science campaigns on Mars so far, and the crater ascent is the start of the fifth call Crater Rim. The rover is looking for signs of ancient life and clues to the Red Planet’s past history. It has already made potentially groundbreaking discoveries, including ancient lake sediments that may contain microbial fossils.
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