James Moorhouse
Some new images shared by NASA's Curiosity rover could be vital in providing substantial proof of life on Mars.
David Bowie's 54-year-old question may finally have been answered thanks to the latest images shared by the Curiosity rover, marking the most recent groundbreaking discovery made by NASA's robot rover.
While we've managed to make some incredible progress in the world of space technology in recent years, such as Elon Musk sending a Tesla Roadster to space and his billionaire buddy Jeff Bezos planning to build a hotel up there, NASA haven't quite figured out a way of sending a human to Mars.
Currently, only robotic landers, rovers and a helicopter have visited the red planet, but the images regularly beamed back to Earth by the rovers are providing humanity with as much information as possible, as scientists no doubt weigh up the possibility of expanding human civilisation into space in the future.
Advert
The latest images shared by the rover depict a piece of rock that scientists believe could be from billions of years ago. The structure, which closely resembles the coral found in oceans on Earth, provides evidence that there may well have been water on the red planet in the past.
This is because these objects formed 'billions of years ago when liquid water still existed on the Red Planet'.
"Water carried dissolved minerals into rock cracks and later dried, leaving the hardened minerals behind,” NASA explained in a recent statement. "This common process, seen extensively on Earth, has produced fantastic shapes on Mars, including a flower-shaped rock."
It isn't the first time that these oceanic-looking rocks have been discovered by the rover, and another 'spiderweb' structure was also discovered back in June, which led NASA to explain why water might have been present.
Advert
“The images and data being collected are already raising new questions about how the Martian surface was changing billions of years ago,” NASA said in a previous statement.
“The Red Planet once had rivers, lakes, and possibly an ocean. Although scientists aren’t sure why, its water eventually dried up and the planet transformed into the chilly desert it is today.”
“Remarkably, the boxwork patterns show that even in the midst of this drying, water was still present underground, creating changes seen today,” NASA said.
“Eons of sandblasting by Martian wind wore away the rock but not the minerals, revealing networks of resistant ridges within.”
Advert
While the Curiosity rover is yet to spot any evidence of alien life up in space, the latest rock discovery is certainly a positive sign that humans could live up there in the future.
And considering how badly things are going on Earth, it can only be a good idea to have Mars ready as a back-up.