NASA's Curiosity Rover Uncovers Clues to Mars' Watery Past

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has been exploring a region on Mars known as the Boxwork Region, a vast area filled with low ridges and hollows that resemble giant spiderwebs. The rover has been studying the area for about six months, and its findings have shed new light on the Red Planet's watery past.

The boxwork formations, which stand roughly 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) tall, were created billions of years ago when water leaked through rock cracks. Minerals carried into the cracks later hardened, and after eons of windblown sand eroding away the softer rock, the hardened ridges were left exposed.

According to NASA, the formations suggest that ancient groundwater flowed on this part of Mars later than scientists expected. This possibility raises new questions about how long microbial life could have survived on Mars billions of years ago, before rivers and lakes dried up and left a freezing desert world behind.

The Curiosity rover has been using its Mastcam to capture stunning panoramas of the boxwork formations. One such image, taken on September 26, 2025, shows the low ridges and hollows in striking detail. The image is a mosaic of 179 individual images that were stitched together after being sent back to Earth.

In addition to the boxwork formations, the Curiosity rover has also discovered nodules on the Martian surface. These bumpy, pea-sized nodules were found in a region filled with boxwork formations and were likely formed by minerals carried by ancient groundwater.

While the Curiosity rover continues to explore the Martian surface, astronomers have made a new discovery that could shed more light on the possibility of life beyond Earth. Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has discovered a new exoplanet orbiting a distant star known as TIC-65910228. The newfound alien world is slightly larger and nearly five times more massive than Jupiter.

The discovery of the exoplanet, which is located about 864 light years away, has sparked excitement among scientists. While the exoplanet is not thought to be habitable, its discovery could provide valuable insights into the formation and evolution of planetary systems.

As scientists continue to explore the Martian surface and study the possibility of life beyond Earth, the discovery of the boxwork formations and the exoplanet serves as a reminder of the vast mysteries that still remain to be uncovered in our universe.

Sources:

• NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• NASA's Mars Exploration Program
• arXiv pre-print server

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