Curiosity rover, built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has been exploring Mars since August 2012.
Discovery adds to intrigue surrounding Mars and its potential for harboring past or present life.
Elemental sulfur is an odorless mineral consisting only of pure sulfur atoms. It's the first time it has been found in its pure form on Mars.
NASA's Curiosity rover discovered pure sulfur crystals on Mars on May 30, 2024.
The crystals, named 'Convict Lake', were found in a rock that was cracked open by the rover.
In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA's Curiosity rover has unearthed rocks made of pure sulfur on Mars. The unexpected find was made when the rover drove over a rock and cracked it open, revealing yellowish-green crystals that have been identified as elemental sulfur. This marks the first time this mineral has been found in its pure form on the Red Planet.
The discovery of these sulfur crystals, named 'Convict Lake', was made on May 30, 2024, several days after Curiosity had driven over and crushed the rock. The rover later used an instrument on its robotic arm to determine the composition of the rock.
Elemental sulfur is a mineral that consists only of pure sulfur atoms, unlike the sulfur bound to oxygen in sulfate. It's an odorless mineral that can be formed by various geological processes including volcanic and hydrothermal activity on Earth. The exact process by which this elemental sulfur was formed on Mars is not yet known.
The Curiosity rover, built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, has been exploring Mars since August 2012. It was tasked with investigating the Gale Crater and Mount Sharp to determine if they could have ever supported microbial life.
The discovery of these sulfur crystals adds to the intrigue surrounding Mars and its potential for harboring past or even present life. The rover's team is continuing to study the rocks and surrounding area in search of clues as to how this elemental sulfur was formed.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover discovered pure elemental sulfur crystals using its Mast Camera on June 7, 2024 (sol 4208)
The sulfur crystals, named ‘Convict Lake’, are about 5 inches (13 cm) across and were found after Curiosity drove over and crushed the rock several days prior on May 30
Elemental sulfur consists only of pure sulfur atoms, unlike the sulfur bound to oxygen in sulfate. It’s an odorless mineral that can be formed by various geological processes including volcanic and hydrothermal activity on Earth
Accuracy
]NASA's Curiosity Mars rover discovered pure elemental sulfur crystals using its Mast Camera on June 7, 2024 (sol 4208)[
Curiosity rover discovered rocks made of pure sulfur on Mars
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover discovered yellow sulfur crystals, a first on the Red Planet.
