- Curiosity rover found spiderweb-like ridges on Mars standing 3 to 6 feet tall
- Formations formed from ancient groundwater depositing minerals in bedrock fractures
- Wind erosion shaped softer rock around mineral-rich ridges creating distinctive patterns
NASA's Curiosity rover has stumbled upon spiderweb-like formations on Mars, which could be a crucial clue to the planet's past. The bizarre patterns, resembling giant spiderwebs from above, are actually low ridges standing 3 to 6 feet tall that crisscross the Martian surface for miles. According to NASA, the formations suggest ancient groundwater flowed on this part of the Red Planet quite later than scientists expected.
What are these 'Spiderwebs'?
The boxwork formations are believed to have formed when groundwater flowed through fractures in the bedrock. It left behind minerals that strengthened the areas that became ridges. Over time, wind eroded the softer surrounding rock, creating the distinctive patterns. The Curiosity rover has been exploring the region for about six months.
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Notably, it wasn't easier for the Curiosity team to get a close look at these stunning formations and gather crucial data. "It almost feels like a highway we can drive on. But then we have to go down into the hollows, where you need to be mindful of Curiosity's wheels slipping or having trouble turning in the sand," said operations systems engineer Ashley Stroupe of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which built Curiosity and leads the mission, said in a statement. "There's always a solution. It just takes trying different paths."
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The discovery suggests that groundwater may have persisted on Mars longer than previously thought. The findings increase the likelihood of microbial life existing on the planet. "Seeing boxwork this far up the mountain suggests the groundwater table had to be pretty high," said Tina Seeger, a mission scientist from Rice University. "And that means the water needed for sustaining life could have lasted much longer than we thought looking from orbit."
As per NASA, the rover also discovered bumpy textures called nodules. "We can't quite explain yet why the nodules appear where they do," Seeger said. "Maybe the ridges were cemented by minerals first, and later episodes of groundwater left nodules around them."
Curiosity will continue exploring Mount Sharp, analysing the sulfate-rich layer and shedding light on Mars' ancient climate.
