NASA's Perseverance rover finds alien rock on Mars
What's the story
NASA's Perseverance rover has made an intriguing discovery on the surface of Mars, finding a rock that may have originated from deep space. The unusual boulder, dubbed "Phippsaksla," was found at a site called "Vernodden" beyond Jezero Crater. It is about 80cm wide and is different from the flat terrain around it. NASA's science team was drawn to its unique color, shape, and texture immediately.
Composition analysis
Phippsaksla's composition hints at extraterrestrial origin
Perseverance used its SuperCam instrument, which is equipped with a laser, to analyze the composition of the rock. The analysis revealed high levels of iron and nickel, elements commonly found in metallic meteorites. These metals are believed to originate from the cores of large asteroids. This discovery indicates that Phippsaksla may not be a native Martian rock but one that has traveled through space and landed on Mars.
Confirmation process
Further studies needed to confirm Phippsaksla's origin
While NASA scientists are hopeful about the extraterrestrial origin of Phippsaksla, they stress that more research is needed for confirmation. If confirmed as a meteorite, it would be Perseverance's first such discovery in or near Jezero Crater. The find also comes as a surprise because researchers were puzzled by the rover's lack of meteorite finds despite Jezero's geological similarities to Gale Crater, where Curiosity rover found several meteorites earlier.
Previous discoveries
Past missions have found iron-nickel meteorites on Mars
Previous Mars missions have also discovered iron-nickel meteorites, including "Heat Shield Rock," which was found by Opportunity rover in 2005, and others spotted by Spirit. These discoveries provide valuable information about how meteorites weather under Martian conditions over millions of years. They also help scientists understand surface processes, erosion, and chemical changes over time. Perseverance's discovery of Phippsaksla adds a new dimension to its exploration of Jezero's ancient terrain.