NASA’s Curiosity rover finds a mysterious honeycomb landscape on Mars
NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered a vast field of honeycomb-shaped polygonal fractures in a Martian valley. Scientists are currently investigating whether these patterns were caused by drying mud, thermal expansion, or sediment compression.
Why it matters
Understanding the geological history of Mars provides critical clues about the planet's past climate and potential for supporting ancient life.
NASA's Curiosity rover has encountered an extraordinary landscape while climbing through a Martian valley nicknamed "Valle Grande." Images sent back by the rover show the ground covered with honeycomb-like patterns known as polygonal fractures, each measuring about 1.5 to 3 inches (4 to 8 centimeters) across.
Curiosity has seen small clusters of similar geometric shapes before, but never anything approaching the scale of the field now visible in Valle Grande.
The full extent of the formations appears in a 360-degree panorama captured on June 19 and 20, during the 4,930th and 4,931st Martian days, or sols, of the mission. The polygons stretch across the terrain in every direction, continuing as far as the rover can see.
The patterns also climb the sides of a nearby butte nicknamed "Miraflores." The formation rises 20 feet (6 meters) above the surrounding landscape and is capped by a thick layer of sand.
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