Since August, 2012, the Mars Curiosity Rover has been roaming the Gale Crater region of Mars as part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. Recently a rock, with peculiar spikey protrusions has been photographed by Curiosity, and, amazingly, led NASA scientists to speculate publicly about an ancient spaceship crash landing as the cause. The possibility, they concede, cannot be ruled out.
Dr. Nathalie Cabrol, an astrobiologist from NASA Ames Research Centre and the SETI Institute, with over two decades of experience studying Mars, described the remarkable formations found in the Gale crater as the most unusual rock she has ever encountered. Some have compared the structure to a fish bone or the branch of a fir tree, and said it would be ‘difficult for it to be a natural rock formation’ here on Earth.
A recent paper published in the Journal of Astrobiology suggests that these formations might be “sand spikes,” possibly resulting from water-logged sands during massive earthquakes (http://journalofastrobiology.com/ArmstrongSpikesGaleCrater.pdf). However, the researchers admit they cannot completely discount the chance that the rock’s appearance could be related to extraterrestrial or terrestrial spacecraft debris.
Curiosity Rover’s images also reveal the presence of wheels, an axle, and a debris field alongside the spikes.
Similar spikes have been observed in locations on Earth, such as the north Alpine basin of south Germany and Mount Signal in the Imperial Valley of southern California. Despite the intriguing evidence, proving the exact origin of the spikes remains challenging.
Professor Richard Armstrong from Aston University in Birmingham, U.K., and lead author of the paper, mentioned that while the evidence hints at “sand spikes” due to seismic activity on Mars, he suspects the enigmatic “wheels” to be a separate phenomenon.
Armstrong points out that Mars often presents peculiar formations that resemble familiar objects, and wind erosion would likely impact any debris field on the planet over time.
The possibility of human activity causing the spikes has not been ruled out either. Considering the number of past spacecraft missions to Mars and potential equipment jettisoned during rover landings, some speculate that the spikes and substrate might be human-made debris.
However, no conclusive evidence of human-originated debris has been found, leaving room for speculation about an extraterrestrial origin.
While scientists continue to analyze the evidence and data collected from Mars, the true cause of these intriguing spikey formations remains a great mystery, and the possibility of an alien encounter stimulates the imagination of more than a few.
AR #79
Life in the Solar System, Then and Now
by William B. Stoecker
