NASA spots 'spider eggs' on Mars. What are they?
What's the story
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has found a bizarre rock formation on the Red Planet, one that looks like a bunch of spider eggs.
The US-based space agency said that the odd-looking object consists of hundreds of millimeter-sized spheres.
The Perseverance science team is now looking into their origin and the geological processes that could have resulted in these weird shapes.
Rock details
Discovery location and characteristics of the rock
The strange rock was discovered at Broom Point, on the lower slopes of Witch Hazel Hill on Jezero crater rim.
This region features alternating light and dark-toned bands that can be seen from orbit.
Perseverance recently sampled one of these light-toned beds, exposing a rock with a strange texture.
Dubbed "St. Pauls Bay" by the team, the rock consists of hundreds of millimeter-sized dark gray spheres with tiny pinholes.
History
Previous discoveries of unusual objects on Mars
Finding weird objects on Mars is not a new phenomenon.
In 2004, the Mars Exploration Rover (Opportunity) discovered "Martian Blueberries" at Meridiani Planum. Curiosity rover has also spotted spherules in Yellowknife Bay's rocks at Gale crater.
In 2024, Perseverance found popcorn-like textures in sedimentary rocks in Jezero crater's inlet channel, Neretva Vallis.
These discoveries underscore NASA's rovers' continued exploration of Martian geology.
Mission goals
Perseverance's mission and capabilities
Since its landing on February 18, 2021, Perseverance has been exploring Mars with the main goal of seeking signs of ancient microbial life.
The rover packs seven instruments including a radar system called RIMFAX, and a robotic arm with a turret to analyze geologic samples from the Martian surface.
Perseverance landed in Jezero crater, which is thought to have once housed an ancient river delta and was flooded with water.