Curiosity Rover Prepares to Shoot Mars Rock With Laser and X-Rays - Pyramid Shaped Rock?

Originally posted by ProfEmeritus
How many people would look at these rocks and assume that they are not made by nature?

edit on 20-9-2012 by ProfEmeritus because: (no reason given)

I see what you're saying.

However, rounded edges and soft corners occur more naturally...straight angles, on the other hand, not so much.

This stone does look like it chipped off a larger piece. I'd like to see if there are any similar stones in the same area.

straight angles, on the other hand, not so much.

reply to post by Animorganimate

Actually, that is a common misconception. Nature is nothing more than the interaction of objects with their environment. When the Ice Age descended upon parts of the world, the material dragged along with the Ice Flow created quite straight lines. In addition, uplifting of land due to earthquakes and continental collisions, create straight lines all the time. One need only view the Palisades and other such land lifts to see that. Since we don't know much about how early Mars land interacted with its "nature", we can't say that such an object as the one in question was not formed by Mars' "nature". BTW, the picture I posted was from an area of New Mexico where there are actually pyramid shaped rock formations with quite straight, 90 degree angles.

reply to post by CaptainBeno


Any idea how big or small it is?

Sorry if you already said it and I missed it.

Any idea how big or small it is?

reply to post by timetothink

See my post on the first page of this thread.

Mastcam view.

mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

Originally posted by ProfEmeritus
How many people would look at these rocks and assume that they are not made by nature?

edit on 20-9-2012 by ProfEmeritus because: (no reason given)

Let's compare apples to oranges!

Are there any pics showing its track from movement?

Originally posted by ProfEmeritus
How many people would look at these rocks and assume that they are not made by nature?

edit on 20-9-2012 by ProfEmeritus because: (no reason given)

Those look like a giant..........Johnson what's the status on this pic??



Always gotta throw an Austin Powers quote in somewhere.....They always fit.....Long and hard and full of seamen.....

Okay I am done now.....

reply to post by Phage


Come on Phage......I thought you were going to tell us the chemical makeup of this rock from the pic...?

Let's compare apples to oranges!

Is that all you can contribute to this thread? Let me cut to the quick. This is nothing but a ROCK about 10" by 6", probably of basalt. If people want to fantasize that this is a pyramid made by mini-Martians, please go ahead. However, I have said my piece. Feel free to continue to fantasize and make juvenile remarks. I have better things to do.

reply to post by Ophiuchus 13

Are there any pics showing its track from movement?

What? You think the rock moved?

I don't get it.

It is a small rock on the surface of mars that was picked at random to test some new equipment out on. No real mystery there.

I would expect the rock to look 'unnatural' because....well....it is a rock on Mars.

Scientifically speaking, I find the formation interesting. It was obviously formed from something in a viscous state that cooled...and the surface was smoothed down over time while the eroded side shows the more complex motion underneath. NOW..find me a fossil and then I will be REALLY excited!!

Originally posted by ArMaP

Originally posted by eriktheawful
However, even though the martian atmosphere is weak, winds still can carry the dust away (or pile it up).

I think that's one of the reasons why this rock looks out of place, as it looks like a softer type of rock that is less resistant to the erosion.

But, there is other stuff there too. Some of those other rocks look like pumice, but the emphasis is on 'look like' with the ambiguity that is to be found looking at rocks, and you might think that any pumice, (that should have been about eons ago) would be just grains by now. that makes me think that there is little power in the dust storms, and that any transient dust is just so fine, that there is little erosion going on at this time. It's a bit of a puzzle really. Just to add to the puzzle, the last thing this rock looks like is basalt, as opposed to other rocks that do 'look like' granite in the pictures. There is something here that does not seem to add up. Maybe it's a mixture of ice and other agregate that has been subjected to heating and cooling on the surface or in the atmosphere, perhaps the remains of a comet and so on.

Here we go. I stacked some MAHLI images of Jake. Very nice. Great close-ups. Note the Martian sand.
Right click a picture and select "View Image" if you want it full-screen:

Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by Ophiuchus 13

 

Are there any pics showing its track from movement?

What? You think the rock moved?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Yes I got that from reading this thread first above Phage, quote below.

NASA's Mars Rover Curiosity has its first analysis target, an intriguing rock with a pyramidal shape that is now 8.2 feet (2.5 meter) from its current location. The scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are excited about this and other features discovered by the rover's cameras.