Mars Rover Examines Weird Coating on Rocks

Originally posted by wylekat
That top one looks like either paint or a slime mold of some sort...

Lol, that was my first thought too, a board/plank with blue paint..
The others look like Im not usre, acid rain...

reply to post by Greenize

That first pic looks like old wood to me. An old beam of some kind. But thats just me!

hehehe not just you

I love these pics - really do - they're incredible!

Thank you!

peace

Now, I'm no geologist but it could be calcification and copper and/or iron deposits. And as interesting as it would be, I don't think it's a map! And unfortunately Greenize, its not a lil baba plant

Hopefully someone classified enough happens upon this thread.
Here's a few pics I found that may spark some enthusiasm.

Hematite - its just a reference

Strashimirite

Shattuckite - really, thats what it's called...

Antigorite

last one. Read from the sixth pic down, the one with the pencil on the rock, to the blue rock with a few fingers to the left.
Shellbeach

edit:
I'm sure nasa knows what it is, why didn't I search for that first? :apparently it's basalt, Don't have time to confirm, sorry, gotta work,work,work,work!

[edit on 25-3-2010 by Jimjolnir]

Break out those 3D glasses folks.

reply to post by Phage


Ah, Phage-man! gotta get home first! sucky Is there anthing of particular interest to look out for?

Its quite cool that that is the same rock. Strangely, I was going to try find more of it myself. do you have a link you could share for more pics of that rock. I'm just curious, probably can't help much, but it can't hurt...

[edit on 25-3-2010 by Jimjolnir]

Here is one for the wood seers:

(From sol 287)

reply to post by Jimjolnir

Yup.
The highest rez false color composite I can find
photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov...

And the raw images can be found here:
marsrover.nasa.gov...

The blueberrie picture reminds me of cyanobacteria like you sometimes find in a sea aquarium. The bacteria are the red/brown areas surrounding the round blue berries.

The first picture could be organic also (it has the looks of it) But its probably all minerals. Great pictures! Needs more investigation.

Great post, OP. I'll surely be checking back on this thread, as I'm quite curious as to what's coating those martian rocks. Very interesting to say the least.

Originally posted by BeastMaster2012
ohhhhhhhhhh are we starting to get clues of an ancient civilization of humans?!?!?

Could men really be from mars/!??!!

Oh this is great! Love it! I want more photos!

What on earth gave you clues of an ancient civilization of humans? There's absolutely nothing in those photos resembling anything related to humans.



Cheers,
Strype

Hey guys check it out - it looks like a turtle skull:

Cant the rover examine for organic material? Doubt NSASA would tellu though

reply to post by Phage


It is a false color pic but check out NASA's description

"It looks like a blueberry sandwich,"

-E-

reply to post by Greenize


I would have to agree, that the first pic looks like a piece of fossilized wood. Maybe a tree that died and we are looking at part of its trunk, but that just my opinion.

Looks like a world map?.........

hmmm

Cool find, I'm just amazed those things are still driving around up there... they're like the energizer bunny, lasting far longer than expected.

reply to post by MysterE


Whatever it's on almost looks identical to petrified wood.

looks like some organic stuff.
not a surprise to me, why would this planet be the only one with life?

The exposed parts actually look like whatever the mould/deposit is has eaten or corroded a layer as it apears cleaner.

Just as interesting is the surrounding area looks simular to how a dried out muddy puddle would look.

So if this is the case and given Mars has weather of sorts wouldnt this show a relative recent evidence of liquid?

The "blueberries" look like concretions found here on Earth. Concretions are indicative of wet, poorly drained soils. So, this is likely an indicator that the Martian surface was once wet.

I have done many wetland delineations, which require soils samples, and have seen these every time.

As for the gray stuff, no telling. maybe precipitate from a meteor impact.



SOURCE: Concretion

EDIT to fix photograph and other concretion examples



[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/ea625899be8f.jpg[/atsimg]

[edit on 25-3-2010 by Aggie Man]

reply to post by Aggie Man


They ceritianly do look similar

-E-