NASA's curiosity rover discovers a surprise in a martian rock
In late May, NASA’s Curiosity rover made a stunning discovery on Mars. While driving, it cracked open a rock. Inside were bright yellow sulfur crystals — never seen before on Mars.
Exploring a sulfate-rich region
Since October 2023, Curiosity has been exploring an area full of sulfates. Sulfates are salts that form when water evaporates and often contain sulfur. Previous missions found sulfur-based minerals. But this time, the rover uncovered elemental sulfur — pure sulfur, not bonded with other elements. Scientists are still investigating how this pure sulfur relates to the surrounding sulfate minerals.
What is the Curiosity rover’s mission?
Curiosity is a car-sized robot that landed on Mars in August 2012. It is part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission. Its goal is to study the planet’s climate, geology, and signs of past water.
The rover also explores whether Mars could have supported microbial life. Curiosity uses its instruments to analyze rocks and soil, take high-res images, and monitor weather and radiation.
Its discoveries help us understand Mars’ past and prepare for future missions.
