Curiosity Cracked Open a Rock on Mars And Revealed a Huge Surprise

Summary: In May 2024, NASA's Curiosity rover made a huge discovery by total accident. While driving on Mars, the heavy, 1,982-pound robot ran over a normal-looking rock and cracked it open. Inside, scientists were shocked to find bright yellow crystals of pure sulfur, also known as brimstone.

While sulfur mixed with other minerals (called sulfates) is common on Mars, finding pure sulfur is incredibly rare. Scientists say it shouldn't even be in this area! What's crazier is that the rover is surrounded by a whole field of similar rocks. Sulfur is an important building block for life, so this accidental crunch gives scientists a massive new puzzle to solve about the history of Mars.

For more details, see sciencealert at sciencealert.com/curiosity-cracked-open-a-rock-on-mars-and-revealed-a-huge-surprise (opens in new tab)