NASA's Perseverance finds 245-foot-thick Broom Point member at Jezero Crater
Technology
NASA's Perseverance rover just found a massive, 245-foot-thick rock layer on the edge of Mars's Jezero Crater.
Called the "Broom Point member," this formation is likely over 3.9 billion years old and gives scientists a peek into a time when asteroid impacts were hitting the solar system nonstop.
Six rock types suggest ancient impacts
"Broom Point member" isn't just old. It's one of Mars's oldest geological formations.
The rover spotted six different types of rocks here, including ones with melted fragments and glassy beads, hinting at asteroid impacts similar to those that shaped Earth.
Plus, patterns in the debris show how molten rock mixed with water or ice, offering new clues about Mars's early history and its wild environment billions of years ago.