After driving over and opening a stone, NASA’s Curiosity rover discovered natural sulphur on Mars, making a groundbreaking finding. Scientists have been drawn to this surprising discovery, and it has renewed their curiosity about Mars ‘ geologic history and potential for life, according to Space .com.
Recently, Curiosity had detected sulphur on Mars, but merely combined with other materials like magnesium and calcium. The finding of real sulfur, which forms under certain conditions, had not been observed in the probe’s present location. The region’s numerous stones appear to contain the sulfur, according to NASA.
” Finding a niche of bricks made of pure sulphur is like finding an oasis in the plains”, said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity’s job scholar at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. ” It should n’t be there, so now we have to explain it”.
The spacecraft’s images show bright sulphur stones within the rock’s shattered pockets. These stones were also tiny and weak for Curiosity to drill a hole through them. Thus, the vehicle moved to a larger stone, nicknamed Mammoth Lakes, and used its chisel to obtain a trial for further research.
Curiosity discovered this on May 30 while looking through the Gale Crater’s Gediz Vallis network. The vehicle has been looking for evidence of ancient bacterial existence in the channel.
It is thought that Mount Sharp was colder billions of years ago than it is now. Debris in the Gediz Vallis network suggests a drier history, possibly influenced by strong winds or wet water moves as Mars dried out. Water-induced bacteriological processes have resulted in yellow bands or orbs near rocks ‘ edges, suggesting that these rocks had absorbed minerals deposited there.
Scientists are also looking into how the natural sulphur formed and how it is connected to the other sulphur-based minerals in the area.
Vasavada said,” Discovering strange and surprising things is what makes astronomical investigation but exciting.”
When the vehicle crossed a sandstone pile and accidentally cracked one, the discovery was made. In the last 30 years of celestial investigation, this discovery represents a special discovery.
The discovery was shared online and posted on X by NASA’s Curiosity rover,” Cronch I ran over a stone and found stones in!” It’s true sulfur. ( And no, it does n’t smell. ) We have not previously encountered chemical sulfur on Mars. We do n’t know much about these yellow crystals yet, but my team is excited to investigate”.
The vehicle clarified that primal sulphur is odor, unlike gas sulphide, which smells like rotten egg. It develops under particular circumstances that scientists have not previously identified with this site.
Sulphur is a key factor for existence, alongside carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and calcium, which together constitute 98 % of living issue on Earth. Scientists have come to a conclusion regarding Mars ‘ potential for life and its geographical history as a result.
Curiosity’s surprising get in the Gediz Vallis route, which may have been created 3 billion years ago by flowing waters, has raised new inquiries about Mars. Vasavada acknowledged the importance of success in this finding, highlighting the significance of this unanticipated breakthrough in improving scientists ‘ knowledge of the Red Planet.
