The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (Nasa) Curiosity rover has captured images of a rock formation that closely resembles coral, in a discovery that suggests there might have been life on Mars.
The object, which is approximately one inch (2.5 centimetres) wide and light-coloured, was found in the Gale Crater, a large impact basin on the planet’s surface, the New York Post reported.
According to a Nasa statement, the rock was likely formed a billion years ago, a time when liquid water was still present on the Red Planet.
“The Red Planet once had rivers, lakes, and possibly an ocean. Although scientists aren’t sure why, its water eventually dried up and the planet transformed into the chilly desert it is today,” the statement read.
The process, which is also seen on Earth, involves water carrying dissolved minerals into rock cracks. The water then dries, leaving behind hardened minerals. Over aeons, Martian winds have eroded the surrounding rock, revealing the intricate, coral-like shapes.
The discovery was captured by the rover’s Remote Micro Imager, a high-resolution telescopic camera. However, this is not the first time the camera has captured similar formations.
Nasa has noted that similar flower-shaped objects have been found in the past, all of which point to a watery history for the planet.
This summer, the Curiosity rover has also captured images of another geological structure nicknamed ‘spiderwebs’ due to its insect-like pattern of ridges. Nasa has explained that these formations also indicate that Mars once had water, which has since hardened.
In a previous statement, Nasa said that the images and data collected are “raising new questions about how the Martian surface was changing billions of years ago.”
While the Red Planet is now a chilly desert, it once had rivers, lakes, and possibly an ocean. The ‘boxwork patterns’ of the ‘spiderwebs’ show that even as the planet was drying up, water was still present underground, creating changes that are visible today.
“Remarkably, the boxwork patterns show that even in the midst of this drying, water was still present underground, creating changes seen today,” Nasa said.
