A "Martian Flower"! Curiosity Sol 132!, page 4

Originally posted by jeetp
Look likes a mineral formation rather than living plant

It is most likely halite, a crystalline mineral that is composed primarily of sodium chloride.

Scientists using a camera designed and operated at Arizona State University's Mars Space Flight Facility have discovered the first evidence for deposits of chloride minerals - salts - in numerous places on Mars. These deposits, say the scientists, show where water was once abundant and may also provide evidence for the existence of former Martian life.

themis.mars.asu.edu...

Look at this picture:


imageshack.us...

Maximizing the specimen a concavity is well recognizable (1).

Two sharp and regular bended edges (2), inside and outside the concavity, joining a flat surface (3) are distinguishable in the bottom part.

The flat surface seems to terminate at the beginning of a tapered part (4).

The reflectance is strongly nacreous, not glassylooking as if it’d be for a grain of quartz.

Three flakes mutually separated by compound fractures are recognizable on the upper part (5). It seems that flakes are held over the specimen through an underlying matrix.

The appearance of the upper part of the specimen would seem to indicate a possible continuity between the part slightly emerging from the matrix and the part well exposed so that an oval shape is conceivable (6).

The general appearance of the specimen is more similar to a shell than a grain of quartz or a grain of any known terrestrial mineral.

I'm not telling you what it is...I'm just asking you what do you think it may be...

Sorry for my poor english...it's not my native language...


Raffaele

reply to post by Raffaele

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Thanks for your post and welcome on ATS!

Your english is better than mine.

reply to post by Arken

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Congrats, Arken. You made Yahoo! News on this topic: news.yahoo.com...

Member ParanoidAmerican found it, and has a thread going here: www.abovetopsecret.com...


Edit: I see others found the Discovery.org story too about this post. Cheers.

Originally posted by Jason88
reply to post by Arken

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Congrats, Arken. You made Yahoo! News on this topic: news.yahoo.com...

Member ParanoidAmerican found it, and has a thread going here: www.abovetopsecret.com...

edit on 5-1-2013 by Jason88 because: (no reason given)

Thanks for this.

An humble member of ATS on the MSN. Incredible!

reply to post by Arken

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I believe NASA will be contacting you to discuss your observation skills and how to best deploy your talents

Originally posted by DoorKnobEddie
reply to post by Arken

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I believe NASA will be contacting you to discuss your observation skills and how to best deploy your talents

edit on 5-1-2013 by DoorKnobEddie because: (no reason given)

I don't think so....

But if so... I will pretend from NASA/JPL boffins to plan a massive research in HELLAS BASIN!

Then Big News!

reply to post by flexy123

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Yeah. You would almost think it was a fossil, if not for the shiny part that's actually protruding from the rock. Hmm...very curious.

ETA: Great catch, btw. I can see what you're talking about with the arc shape.

Originally posted by Arken

Originally posted by DoorKnobEddie
reply to post by Arken

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I believe NASA will be contacting you to discuss your observation skills and how to best deploy your talents

edit on 5-1-2013 by DoorKnobEddie because: (no reason given)

I don't think so....

But if so... I will pretend from NASA/JPL boffins to plan a massive research in HELLAS BASIN!

Then Big News!

edit on 5-1-2013 by Arken because: (no reason given)

...I don't think so too...

reply to post by Arken

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SnF Arken for the interesting find. 1 has to wonder why the soil below these "flowers" isn't being tested if in fact that's actual soil growing these. Maybe find some clues there. Again nice find Arken, keep up the good work.
NAMASTE*******

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