Dragon scales on Mars? NASA's Curiosity rover spots odd rocks on the Red Planet

NASA's Curiosity rover continues to make intriguing discoveries on the Martian surface. The rover's team recently shared a captivating image on X (Formerly Twitter) of weird rock formations resembling the mythical dragon scales.

The rover's Mast Camera (Mastcam) will provide detailed images that could reveal the structure and layering of the rocks while the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument will analyze their chemical composition, the mission team tweeted.

The Curiosity rover has a history of encountering and studying a variety of intriguing rock formations on Mars. These discoveries not only make for spectacular visuals but also provide crucial insights into the geological and environmental history of the Red Planet. For instance, sedimentary rocks with layers can suggest past water activity, which is a key indicator of potential habitability.

Dragon scales on Mars? 🐉I’ve seen lots of odd rocks on the Red Planet, and while these certainly aren't dragon scales, they're quite striking – and I can’t wait to investigate them! I’ll take a closer look with my Mastcam and use ChemCam to check out the chemistry and texture. pic.twitter.com/4HM4dwnrrP

— Curiosity Rover (@MarsCuriosity) April 18, 2024

Launched in 2011, NASA's Curiosity rover continues to explore the Red Planet to investigate whether Mars ever had the right environmental conditions to support small life forms called microbes.

The rover is currently investigating the broken bedrock near the Gediz Vallis and acquiring images of the ridge deposit as it drives south.

As the rover examines Martian mysteries, its journey continues to expand our knowledge of Mars, paving the way for the astronauts who will one day follow in its tire tracks.