2024-07-24 11:45:59
The latest discovery by the Mars rover “Curiosity” could provide important conclusions. Does a chance discovery indicate the existence of life?
The Mars rover “Curiosity” has been traveling over the Red Planet for almost twelve years now – and in that time it has already made many discoveries and sent incredible images back to Earth. And now there is renewed hope that a rover discovery will provide new insights into Mars.
The discovery was pure coincidence. As NASA writes on its website, “Curiosity” drove over some rocks. These broke open and revealed something incredible: yellow sulfur crystals. This discovery is so special because pure sulfur has not been found on Mars until now.
As images from the rover suggest, the area around the broken rock appears to be a sea of sulfur. Images show a field of light-colored rock in a particular region. “Finding a field of rocks made of pure sulfur is like an oasis in the desert,” explains NASA scientist Ashwin Vasavada.
According to Vasavada, pure sulfur shouldn’t actually be there. That’s why we have to find an explanation for its occurrence. Sulfur itself is quite common on Mars – but in bound form, not in its pure form. Planetary researcher Ralf Jaumann from the Free University of Berlin explained to “Spiegel” that the discovery could indicate a former “primitive form of life on Mars.”
Some bacteria can use sulfur compounds to generate energy. After that, sulfur remains in its pure form, says Jaumann. The region that “Curiosity” is currently exploring is the Gediz-Vallis channel, which winds along Mount Sharp. The rover has been studying the five-kilometer-high mountain since 2014, as the history of the Red Planet can be clearly seen in the individual rock layers.
The Gediz Vallis channel has long been of interest to scientists. Boulders and sediments in the channel suggest that the channel was once formed by flowing water and debris. The region could tell a complex and interesting story of Mars – and perhaps even provide evidence of life that may have once existed there.