Perseverance unearths 'Freya Castle': A mars mystery in stripes

NASA announces another intriguing discovery by the Perseverance rover on Mars. In Jezero Crater, the rover has encountered a stone with a striking appearance. Scientists believe this is one of the most fascinating finds on the Red Planet to date.

The Perseverance rover captured an image of the stone with a unique, zebra-like pattern on 13 September 2023. The object, named "Freya Castle," is about 20 centimetres wide, approximately the length of an average adult male's hand, according to Science Alert. This boulder's distinctive light and dark stripes stand out among other geological formations studied on Mars so far.

Perseverance used its Mastcam-Z camera suite to capture multispectral images of the stone. These images allowed scientists to develop hypotheses regarding the origin of this unusual cosmic object. Athanasios Klidaras, a scientist at Purdue University, explained on NASA’s blog that while we have a limited understanding of Freya Castle's chemical makeup, initial analyses propose that its distinct bands might have developed through either magmatic or metamorphic activity.

The Freya Castle stone is not attached to the ground, which may indicate that it comes from elsewhere. Scientists theorize that it might have rolled down from a higher part of the slope. Researchers are incredibly excited about the possibility of discovering similar formations as the rover ascends. Klidaras expressed optimism that as Perseverance continues its mission, it will come across a larger rock of this kind, allowing for more in-depth measurements to be taken.

Freya Castle is not the only remarkable discovery during Mars missions. This year, the Curiosity rover uncovered pure hydrogen sulphide in the Gale Crater, and another find, the Chevaya Falls rock, was covered in spots resembling animal patterns, which could hint at biological processes. Although the possibility of organisms being involved in forming these structures has been ruled out, these discoveries continue to captivate scientists.

Since 2021, the Perseverance rover has been exploring the Red Planet for ancient life traces. Its mission is part of NASA's Mars 2020 project. Perseverance landed in Jezero Crater, which once held water and could have been an ideal environment for microbial life. The rover collects rock samples, which will await future missions for transportation back to Earth.

The Mars Sample Return mission, a collaboration between NASA and ESA, plans to launch a container with Mars samples and safely deliver them to Earth, likely in the early 2030s. It's also worth noting that the Perseverance mission is not solely focused on Jezero Crater. The rover is currently exploring the Bright Angel area, home to a unique type of rock known as "popcorn rock." Scientists hope this region will yield more information about Mars's history and potential biological resources.