NASA's Curiosity rover ran over a rock on Mars, accidentally breaking it, and what appeared inside left scientists with more questions than answers
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Key Points:
- NASA's Curiosity rover accidentally discovered yellow crystals of elemental sulfur in the Gediz Vallis channel on Mars, revealing a rare chemical condition that challenges existing theories about Mount Sharp's geological history.
- Unlike previous findings where sulfur was trapped in sulfates, these pure sulfur crystals indicate environmental conditions not previously associated with the region, suggesting a more complex past involving unique chemical processes.
- The discovery of an entire field of sulfur-rich rocks in Gediz Vallis, a channel shaped by ancient floods and landslides, points to dynamic and possibly wetter or warmer conditions than previously understood.
- While elemental sulfur on Earth is linked to volcanic and hydrothermal activity, no evidence of such processes exists at Mount Sharp, leaving the origin of these crystals uncertain and prompting
