Mystery Mars rock on is most likely an interstellar visitor

NASA scientists have been left scratching their heads after the Perseverance Rover discovered a peculiar rock on Mars that seemingly doesn’t belong there – its composition hinting at a possible interstellar origin.

“This rock was identified as a target of interest,” NASA revealed in a recent blog post, detailing the potentially cosmic boulder.

The Perseverance Rover, which has been scouring the Red Planet for five years, came across the geological oddity while exploring the Vernodden region of the sprawling 28-mile-wide Jezero Crater, according to the post.

Christened “Phippsaksla,” the curious rock measured an impressive 31 inches wide.

While spotting a stone on Mars might not seem earth-shattering, this particular specimen caught the eye due to its “sculpted, high-standing appearance that differed from that of the low-lying, flat and fragmented surrounding rocks.”

“Phippsaksla” packs a metallic punch

Further analysis by the Rover’s SuperCam unveiled that the Martian pebble boasted high levels of iron and nickel – an elemental combination more commonly associated with “iron-nickel” meteorites rather than run-of-the-mill rocks.

Unlike their rocky counterparts, these metallic space stones typically originate from the heart of massive asteroids, as reported by Science Alert.

Forged during the early days of the Solar System, these unique rocks were created when heavy minerals embedded themselves in heated rocks.

Interstellar origins?

The distinctive composition seemed to indicate that “Phippsaksla” didn’t originate on Mars but was instead part of a meteor that had crash-landed on the planet in the distant past.

Intriguingly, while other iron-nickel meteorites have been discovered on Mars before – including the “Cacao” meteorite spotted in 2023 – this marks the first time Perseverance has encountered one of these interstellar rolling stones.

Unlocking the secrets of the Red Planet

To confirm that the metal-rich stone is indeed a meteorite, scientists will need to conduct further tests.

If the interstellar origins are verified, the rock could provide invaluable insights into the history of the Red Planet.

This isn’t the only groundbreaking geologic discovery made by the Perseverance Rover recently. Just last year, it uncovered polka-dotted rocks that may offer some of the most compelling evidence to date of life on Mars.