On May 30, 2024, NASA’s Curiosity rover accidentally drove over a rock and knocked it open, revealing yellow crystals. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS).
[The Epoch Times, July 21, 2024](Comprehensive report by Epoch Times reporter Li Yan) One day, the one-ton Curiosity rover accidentally ran over a rock on Mars and crushed it. As a result, it found the most unusual thing yet on the Red Planet: yellow-green crystals of pure sulfur.
On June 7, the 4,208th Martian day (sol) of NASA’s Curiosity rover, it used its Mastcam to capture something that had never been seen on Mars before. Pure sulfur mineral. The yellow-green crystals exposed in the crushed rock are regarding 5 inches (13 centimeters) wide from left to right.
“I think this is the strangest discovery of the entire mission,” said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. It’s also the most unexpected. I have to say, there’s a lot of luck involved, following all, not every stone has something interesting in it.”
Previously, the Curiosity team was eager for the rover to survey the Gediz Vallis Channel, a winding channel that appears to have been formed by a mixture of flowing water and gravel 3 billion years ago. It is embedded in part of the 3-mile-high (5-kilometer-high) Mount Sharp. The rover has been climbing the mountain since 2014.
The white stones were clearly visible in the distance, and the scientists wanted to take a closer look. JPL’s rover operator commanded Curiosity to perform a 90-degree turn, placing the robot’s rover in the best position so that its cameras might capture a composite of the surrounding landscape.
In the early morning of May 30, Vasavada and his team reviewed the mosaic images from Curiosity and discovered a crushed rock in the rover’s ruts. He said close-up shots of the rock clearly showed the “amazing” find. At that time, the rover used an instrument called an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on the end of its robotic arm to determine the rock’s composition – pure sulfur crystals.
Scientists have discovered many types of sulfur on Mars. In fact, the rock Curiosity discovered is in an area known to be rich in sulfates. Sulfate is a sulfur-based salt left over following the water on the Red Planet dried up billions of years ago. It’s unclear how the pure sulfur found is related to other sulfur-based minerals in the area. (Recommended reading:NASA’s Curiosity rover discovers stone arch on Mars）
Pure sulfur consists only of pure sulfur atoms, unlike the sulfur in sulfate that is bound to oxygen. It is an odorless mineral formed on Earth by a variety of different geological processes, including volcanic and hydrothermal activity. The Curiosity team doesn’t yet know how the pure sulfur the rover found was formed, but they are looking for clues in the rocks and surrounding areas.
Some of Curiosity’s findings, such as the presence of lakes and organic material that lasted for millions of years, are closely related to the rover’s ultimate goal: to explore whether Mars once had an environment suitable for life.
Now, scientists are tasked with figuring out what the presence of pure sulfur on Mars means, and what its historical significance is for the Red Planet.
Curiosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California. JPL is leading the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego is responsible for building and operating Curiosity’s mast camera.
Vasavada said Curiosity remains in excellent operating condition despite 12 years of wear and tear, including some “near misses” such as wheel problems and mechanical failures.
“I feel very lucky,” he said. “I’m glad that we chose a target worthy of 12 years of scientific exploration.”
“This is a really wonderful landing site,” he said, “so we’re trying to make the most of this opportunity.”
Editor in charge: Li Yuan#
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On May 30, 2024, NASA’s Curiosity rover accidentally drove over a rock and knocked it open, revealing yellow crystals. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS).
[The Epoch Times, July 21, 2024](Comprehensive report by Epoch Times reporter Li Yan) The Curiosity rover, a one-ton robot exploring Mars, accidentally ran over a rock and crushed it, discovering a peculiar find: yellow-green crystals of pure sulfur.
On June 7, the 4,208th Martian day (sol) of NASA’s Curiosity rover, its Mastcam captured something never seen before on Mars – pure sulfur mineral. The yellow-green crystals exposed in the crushed rock are regarding 5 inches (13 centimeters) wide from left to right.
“I think this is the strangest discovery of the entire mission,” said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. “It’s also the most unexpected. I have to say, there’s a lot of luck involved, following all, not every stone has something interesting in it.”
Previously, the Curiosity team was eager for the rover to survey the Gediz Vallis Channel, a winding channel formed by a mixture of flowing water and gravel 3 billion years ago. This channel is embedded in part of the 3-mile-high (5-kilometer-high) Mount Sharp, which the rover has been climbing since 2014.
White stones were visible in the distance, prompting scientists to take a closer look. JPL’s rover operator commanded Curiosity to perform a 90-degree turn, positioning the robot for optimal camera angles to capture a composite image of the surrounding landscape.
In the early morning of May 30, Vasavada and his team reviewed the mosaic images from Curiosity and discovered a crushed rock in the rover’s ruts. Close-up shots of the rock revealed the “amazing” find. The rover used an instrument called an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on the end of its robotic arm to determine the rock’s composition – pure sulfur crystals.
While scientists have found many types of sulfur on Mars, the rock Curiosity discovered is in an area known to be rich in sulfates. Sulfate is a sulfur-based salt left behind following the water on the Red Planet dried up billions of years ago. The relationship between the pure sulfur found and other sulfur-based minerals in the area is unclear. (Recommended reading:NASA’s Curiosity rover discovers stone arch on Mars）
Pure sulfur consists only of pure sulfur atoms, unlike the sulfur in sulfate which is bound to oxygen. This odorless mineral is formed on Earth through various geological processes, including volcanic and hydrothermal activity. The Curiosity team is currently searching for clues in the rocks and surrounding areas to understand how the pure sulfur found was formed.
Some of Curiosity’s findings, such as the presence of lakes and organic material that lasted for millions of years, are closely related to the rover’s ultimate goal: to explore whether Mars once had an environment suitable for life.
Now, scientists are focused on understanding the implications of pure sulfur on Mars and its historical significance for the Red Planet.
Curiosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California. JPL is leading the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego is responsible for building and operating Curiosity’s mast camera.
Vasavada said Curiosity remains in excellent operating condition despite 12 years of wear and tear, including some “near misses” such as wheel problems and mechanical failures.
“I feel very lucky,” he said. “I’m glad that we chose a target worthy of 12 years of scientific exploration.”
“This is a really wonderful landing site,” he said, “so we’re trying to make the most of this opportunity.”
Editor in charge: Li Yuan#
Recommended reading:
Curiosity Rover Finds Pure Sulfur Crystals on Mars, Unveiling a New Mystery
In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA’s Curiosity rover has stumbled upon pure sulfur crystals on Mars, adding another intriguing layer to the Red Planet’s geological tapestry. The find, a first for Mars exploration, has scientists questioning the formation of these crystals and their implications for the planet’s past.
A Fortunate Accident Leads to an Unexpected Discovery
On May 30, 2024, the Curiosity rover, during its routine exploration of the Martian landscape, accidentally rolled over a rock. This seemingly mundane event, however, led to an extraordinary revelation. Upon closer inspection of the crushed rock, scientists were stunned to find bright yellow-green crystals of pure sulfur.
“I think this is the strangest discovery of the entire mission,” said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. “It’s also the most unexpected,” he added, emphasizing the element of chance in this exceptional find.
“There’s a lot of luck involved, following all, not every stone has something interesting in it,” Vasavada humorously pointed out, highlighting the serendipitous nature of the discovery.
The Curiosity Rover’s Mission and the Significance of Pure Sulfur
Curiosity’s primary mission is to explore the Martian environment and search for evidence of past habitable conditions. The rover has been exploring Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-high mountain, since 2014. The area where the sulfur crystals were found is part of the Gediz Vallis Channel, a winding channel believed to have been formed by the flow of water and gravel billions of years ago.
While sulfur has been previously detected on Mars in various forms, the discovery of pure sulfur stands out. Unlike sulfate, where sulfur is bound to oxygen, pure sulfur consists only of pure sulfur atoms. This type of sulfur is often formed on Earth through geological processes like volcanic activity and hydrothermal vents.
The Mystery of Pure Sulfur on Mars
The presence of pure sulfur on Mars raises intriguing questions. Scientists are currently investigating how these crystals formed and what they reveal regarding the planet’s geological history. This discovery, unexpected and unprecedented, adds a new dimension to the ongoing exploration of Mars and its potential for past life.
Exploring the Past: Unraveling the Martian History
The discovery of pure sulfur further enhances the scientific importance of Curiosity’s mission. This unexpected find, alongside other discoveries like the evidence of ancient lakes and organic material, builds a richer picture of Mars’s potential for hosting life in its distant past. Scientists are eager to further investigate the significance of this pure sulfur find, which might potentially unlock new insights into the Red Planet’s geological history and its potential for past life.
The Perseverance of Curiosity, a Symbol of Exploration
Despite facing challenges, the Curiosity rover has endured, continuing its groundbreaking exploration of the Martian landscape. The rover, showcasing its resilience following 12 years of operation, remains in excellent condition and continues to provide valuable scientific data.
“I feel very lucky,” stated Vasavada. “I’m glad that we chose a target worthy of 12 years of scientific exploration.”
“This is a really wonderful landing site,” he said, emphasizing the continued significance of Curiosity’s mission, “so we’re trying to make the most of this opportunity.”
This remarkable discovery of pure sulfur on Mars underlines the boundless potential for surprise and innovation in space exploration. As Curiosity continues its journey, it promises to reveal more of the mysteries that lie hidden beneath the Martian surface.
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