Science
Related: About this forumNASA's Curiosity rover stumbled upon a Martian rock that tells an incredible story
Mike Wehner 8 hrs ago
We tend to think of rocks as being, well, pretty boring. We find them pretty much everywhere here on Earth, and while some are neat to look at we dont often spend the time to consider the stories they can tell. For the scientists working with NASAs Curiosity rover, however, rocks are like windows into the past of a planet we still know relatively little about.
© Provided by Penske Media Corporation 707_Mastcam_Views__Strathdon_
The Curiosity rover is currently exploring an area within the Gale Crater called the clay-bearing unit. NASA highlighted a panorama snapped from this location as the agency celebrated the robots 7th year on the Red Planet, but one rock in particular is worthy of additional attention. Its been nicknamed Strathdon and its telling researchers a lot about what Mars was like when it was a whole lot wetter.
The rock looks like a thick collection of flaky fragments. Its delicate features were formed over a long stretch where clay was deposited and hardened before each new layer accumulated. Curiosity has seen sediment formations on Mars before, but this rock has a unique, wavy personality.
As NASA explains, this is believed to be evidence of flowing water, blowing wind, or perhaps a combination of the two.
Were seeing an evolution in the ancient lake environment recorded in these rocks, Valerie Fox of Caltech said in a statement. It wasnt just a static lake. Its helping us move from a simplistic view of Mars going from wet to dry. Instead of a linear process, the history of water was more complicated.
More:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/nasas-curiosity-rover-stumbled-upon-a-martian-rock-that-tells-an-incredible-story/ar-AAFxbwm?li=BBnb7Kz
Wounded Bear
(58,626 posts)lagomorph777
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Haggis for Breakfast
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