The Mistake That Led to NASA’s Terrible Discovery: What Are the Yellow Crystals on Mars (Video)

This is the first time that pure sulfur has been discovered in its elemental form on the Red Planet.

In Pioneer Discovery who captured them Scientistsher curiosity rover NASA Revealed a surprising discovery in MarsThe car, which weighs 899 kg, accidentally opened one of them. Stone while crossing its surface MarsIt reveals an unexpected treasure: yellow crystals of the element sulfur, known as sulphur.

the Discovery It happened in the Geddes Vallis channel, an area that is now attracting a lot of attention because of the abundance of rocks that resemble the sulfide rock that Curiosity crushed. This suggests that the element sulfur may be more widespread in this area than previously thought. Curiosity program scientist Ashwin Vasavada expressed the significance of this Finding.

«It shouldn’t be there, so now we have to explain it. Discovering strange and unexpected things is what makes planetary exploration so exciting.“Vasavada commented.

the Sulfur On Mars, it is usually found as sulfates—salts that form when sulfur combines with other minerals in water. As the water evaporates, these minerals mix and dry out, leaving sulfates behind. Sulfate minerals provide valuable information about the history of water on Mars and its geological evolution. However, finding sulfur in its pure elemental form is exceptional and points to a very specific set of conditions that were not previously thought to exist in this region of Mars.

This discovery raises many questions about the geological history of Mars and indicates that there are important unknowns about the processes that shaped the planet’s surface.

Elemental sulfur forms under a narrow range of conditions, raising intriguing questions about the environmental factors that could have led to its presence on Geddes Vallis. The finding not only challenges existing theories about the planet’s geology, but also has potential implications for astrobiology. Sulfur is an essential element for life, as organisms use it to make two essential amino acids needed for protein synthesis.

Understanding how pure sulfur came to this region of Mars could provide clues about the planet’s past environment and its ability to support life. Although the discovery of pure sulfur does not directly indicate the presence of life, it highlights the complexity of Mars’ geology and the need for further exploration to unravel these mysteries.