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2mo ago

NASA's Perseverance Rover Collects Oldest Mars Sample Yet with Unique Textures

The 'Silver Mountain' sample, rich in low-calcium pyroxene, offers new insights into Mars' geological history and ancient environment.

"Silver Mountain": Perseverance Nabs Oldest Mars Sample Yet With Texture "Unlike Anything We've Seen"
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover took this selfie in July 2024. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)
An image about NASA confirms discovery of Mars sample unlike any it has found before

Overview

  • Perseverance rover's 26th sample, named 'Silver Mountain,' is the oldest rock collected so far, dating back to the Noachian epoch, 3.7 to 4.1 billion years ago.
  • The sample, taken from the Shallow Bay site in Jezero Crater, features textures described by NASA as 'unlike anything we've seen before.'
  • The rock is abundant in low-calcium pyroxene, a mineral linked to igneous processes, and could provide clues about Mars' early crust formation.
  • Scientists believe the region's rocks, including serpentine-bearing formations, may have formed from magma interacting with water, hinting at ancient environmental conditions.
  • The 'Silver Mountain' sample will be part of the Mars Sample Return mission, which aims to bring Martian material to Earth for detailed analysis, though the mission's timeline has faced delays.