NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered unusual structures on Mars, including small spherical formations that resemble eggs - features that had not been previously observed on the planet.
Recent images show large zigzag ridges, known as “boxwork,” stretching along the slopes of Mount Sharp inside Gale Crater. From orbit, these formations look like giant spider webs carved into the surface.
For eight months, Curiosity has been closely studying these interconnected rocky ridges, which stretch over an area up to 20 kilometers wide. Scientists believe they were formed billions of years ago when groundwater flowed beneath the Martian surface, depositing minerals.
Over time, these minerals hardened and remained as ridges, while the surrounding rock was eroded by the wind.
Close-up views also reveal small, round structures – called nodules – scattered along the sides of the ridges and in the hollows between them. These are considered clear indicators of past groundwater activity. However, the researchers were surprised by their location, as they are not located near the central fissures, where the water flow would have been expected to be concentrated.
According to the researchers, water once circulated through cracks in the bedrock, leaving behind minerals that hardened certain areas. The unhardened parts were gradually worn away, creating the current relief. The presence of these structures so high up the mountain suggests that the groundwater level was higher than previously thought – a discovery that reopens the debate about how long conditions suitable for microbial life may have existed on Mars.
As Curiosity climbed higher up Mount Sharp — which rises about 5 kilometers above the crater floor — rock layers have revealed evidence of climate change on the planet. The higher layers show increasingly dry conditions, punctuated by occasional wetter periods when rivers and lakes may have returned.
The rover has drilled several rock samples in this area, analyzing the dusty material with X-rays and high-temperature furnaces in its internal laboratory.
Analyses have revealed clay minerals in the ridges and carbonates in the surrounding pits – clues that help reconstruct the geological history of the region. A recent sample was also analyzed with a specialized chemical technique to look for organic compounds, carbon-based molecules linked to the origins of life.
Curiosity is expected to leave the boxwork area on March 11 and continue exploring the mountain's sulfate-rich layers. Scientists hope the mission will shed more light on how Mars transformed billions of years ago from a planet with flowing water to the cold, dry world we see today. /GazetaExpress/
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