Rock crushed by Mars rover reveals crystals never before seen on Red Planet – Yahoo! Voices

NASA announced this week that rocks made of pure sulfur have been discovered on the Red Planet.

The yellow sulfur crystals in a pure form have never been seen before on Mars. Earlier findings have been sulfur-based minerals, or a mixture of sulfur and other materials, according to NASA.

The crystals were found accidentally when NASAs Curiosity Mars rover cracked open a rock to expose the crystals, according to the space agency. The rover then found an entire field of what scientists believe are also sulfur-laden rocks.

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"Finding a field of stones made of pure sulfur is like finding an oasis in the desert," said Curiositys project scientist, Ashwin Vasavada of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

"It shouldnt be there, so now we have to explain it," she added. "Discovering strange and unexpected things is what makes planetary exploration so exciting."

The discovery may be evidence of liquid water that existed at some point in Marss past. Where the crystals were found the Gediz Vallis channel may have been carved by flows of water, according to NASA.

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Mars Curiosity launched in 2011 with a mission to see if the Red Planet had an environment that was conducive to supporting microbial life, NASA said. The rover continues its investigation by studying the planet's rock record.

Original article source: Rock crushed by Mars rover reveals crystals never before seen on Red Planet

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Rock crushed by Mars rover reveals crystals never before seen on Red Planet - Yahoo! Voices