Mars rover finds surprising rock, nuzzles it and shoots it with lasers
The rock is not like other rocks seen on Mars. It has more sodium and potassium.
The rock is not like other rocks seen on Mars. It has more sodium and potassium.
The first聽rock聽nuzzled by NASA's聽Mars聽Curiosity rover is turning out to be a bit more unusual than scientists thought it would be.
Curiosity used its robot arm to touch at a football-sized pyramid-shaped聽rock聽for the first time two weeks ago. It also shot the聽rock聽dozens of times with a laser.
The results surprised scientists. They said Thursday that it is not like other聽rocks聽seen on聽Mars. It has more sodium and potassium.
Scientist Edward Stolper said the聽rock聽is more like rare volcanic聽rocks聽seen on Earth in places like Hawaii. Those聽rocks聽are formed under high pressure, deep underground and once contained water.
Scientists don't know how old the Martian聽rock聽is.