Mysterious traces discovered on Mars - scientists 'at a dead end'

NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered unusual wide and shallow depressions in the rock on the slopes of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater, visually resembling footprints. Scientists have not yet determined the exact cause of their appearance, calling the find a geological mystery. The MAHLI and Mastcam cameras are being used for study.

NASA's Curiosity rover, exploring the slopes of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater, has discovered unusual geological structures—wide and shallow depressions in the rock that visually resemble footprints. Scientists cannot yet explain their origin, calling the find a mystery. Unlike typical Martian cavities that form after the weathering of hard mineral inclusions, these depressions show no signs of fragmented debris inside. For detailed study, the MAHLI and Mastcam cameras have been used, capturing images from different angles to create three-dimensional models. NASA emphasizes that the term 'footprints' refers only to visual similarity and does not indicate signs of life. Additionally, data from Mastcam and ChemCam show that adjacent rock layers rapidly change texture, which may indicate changes in the conditions of sedimentary deposit formation. The rover also examined gray layers resistant to erosion. Curiosity has been operating on Mars since 2012.