NASA’s Curiosity rover discovered pure yellow sulphur on Mars. On May 30, while investigating Gediz Vallis, the rover discovered a rock with sulphur crystals. This is the first identification of pure sulphur on the Martian surface, as prior observations contained sulphur mixed with other components.
Following this finding, the rover discovered an additional pure sulphur crystal nearby. Ashwin Vasavada, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said, “It shouldn’t be there, so now we have to explain it,” emphasising the thrill of discovering unexpected finds in planetary research.
Curiosity then moved on to a larger rock, named Mammoth Lakes, for further investigation, as the initial crystal was too small for further research. The rover dug into the new rock to collect samples for further analysis.
Since its arrival 12 years ago, Curiosity has made major contributions to our understanding of Mars. Key discoveries include the identification of numerous rocks, channels, and craters, with noteworthy finds at Gediz Vallis indicating the presence of water on Mars. Recent discoveries, like manganese oxide-containing rocks, suggest that Mars formerly had an oxygen-rich atmosphere, implying that life could have existed there.
