Something New Discovered On Mars

**altria** · 11-09-2011, 07:15 AM

NASA: We've discovered something completely new on the surface of Mars
NASA may be ramping up for the launch of its next Mars rover mission later this month, but the Agency's Opportunity rover — which has been chugging around the Martian landscape for close to eight years, now — refuses to recede into obsolescence. You're looking at a close-up of the Martian surface, recently shot by Opportunity's onboard cam, that reveals a line of light-colored rocks known to NASA astronomers as "Homestake" or "The Vein." And they say it's like nothing they've ever seen.
It may not look like much, but scientists speculate that the strange geological feature could actually wind up providing NASA with hard evidence that there are phyllosilicates on the red planet's surface. Why is this a big deal? For one thing, phyllosilicates belong to a class of minerals that form in the presence of a watery environment. But they form in water that is less acidic than the water that is thought to have given rise to the silica-rich clay minerals discovered by NASA's Spirit rover five years ago. Martian soil with lower acidity would, in theory, be more hospitable to life.
Until now, however, we've only identified the presence of phyllosilicates on the Martian surface using images captured from space. To actually discover, identify, and analyze phyllosilicates from the red planet's surface would be an unprecedented achievement.
"This is a real triumph of geology," said Steve Squyres, Mars Exploration Rover principal investigator at Cornell University. Squyres continues:

**Richard_Louis** · 11-09-2011, 07:39 AM

Maybe the remains of an old marcian city? :O

Haha, i wish.

**sagewillow** · 11-09-2011, 08:00 AM

I love that little Rover. It just won't give up. I'm wondering if it's somehow become sentient. Like a science version of "Wal - E".

**Starship** · 11-10-2011, 06:21 AM

Maybe it's a road, and the rocky line in the centre is the centreline.

What else would be in a straight line like that?

**Eye Believe** · 11-10-2011, 06:24 AM

Interesting article to read :]
IMO, should they send a new rover? No. Waste of money at this point. If they found a water stream of some sort, then yes. ;]

**August** · 11-10-2011, 06:24 AM

Wow Altria ....the Yellow Brick Road..........

**altria** · 11-10-2011, 06:05 PM

Augustus i like unusual and interesting rocks,would love to have a piece of that sitting on my desk,The photo and the color is what caught my attention and which caused me to post it.

**SactoLady** · 11-10-2011, 07:27 PM

First thing I thought of when I saw the picture was an artifact, not something natural. Then my second thought was "Why would NASA be showing us something that could be an artifact?"
More questions then answers on this one.
Great find, thank you.

**Starship** · 11-10-2011, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by Eye Believe

Interesting article to read :]
IMO, should they send a new rover? No. Waste of money at this point. If they found a water stream of some sort, then yes. ;]

One with a 3D HD video camera attached to it would be great.

**Castle-Bravo354** · 11-15-2011, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by altria

i like unusual and interesting rocks,would love to have a piece of that sitting on my desk,The photo and the color is what caught my attention and which caused me to post it.

altria....this is an excellent find....

I've always had a weakness for geological features as well. This is more evidence that Mars was more like earth in the past. Once we find out what Mars was like then we can try and figure out what caused it to change.