NASA's Curiosity captures Mount Sharp panorama suggesting volcanic influence
Technology
NASA's Curiosity rover has captured a stunning new panorama of Mars, showing off wind-carved cliffs and blue-toned rock formations on Mount Sharp.
The yardangs stretch approximately 16.09km across the northwestern portion of Mount Sharp, and they are not just pretty: they give scientists clues about how both wind and volcanoes have shaped the planet's surface over time.
Mount Sharp yardangs may be ash
The latest images show yardangs (those funky, slanted rock layers) that may be ash deposited by ancient volcanic eruptions, not just wind erosion.
This spot is now a top target for more research as mission scientists aim to reach the bottom of the yardang formations sometime in 2027, as Curiosity keeps climbing and helping us piece together Mars's wild environmental history.