NASA’s Curiosity Rover Finds ‘Coral-Like’ Rock On Mars, Hinting At The Planet’s Watery Past

New images from Mars are sparking fresh hope that the planet may have once had the right conditions to support life.

At first glance, it looks like a piece of coral you might find deep under the ocean, but it’s actually a unique rock on Mars recently spotted by NASA’s Curiosity rover. Scientists believe it may have formed billions of years ago, long before the planet became the cold, dry place we know today.

The rock is quite small — roughly 1 inch wide (about 2.5 centimeters) — and is pale in color. According to Live Science, its surface has been shaped and smoothed by the wind over time. It was discovered in Gale Crater, a massive ancient impact basin on Mars that has long been a focal point for exploration.

The NASA spacecraft — Curiosity rover — has captured images that indicated life has existed on Mars. Nasa

The rover’s telescopic camera captured a high-resolution, black-and-white image of the unusual object. While this find is exciting, it’s not the first time something like this has been recorded on the planet.

The same camera — known as Curiosity’s Remote Micro Imager — has previously documented other similar formations. These recurring discoveries are another strong indication that Mars had liquid water flowing across its surface in the distant past.

The black and white images the telescopic camera, also known as the Curiosity’s Remote Micro Imager, has captured. NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/CNRS/IRAP/IAS/LPG

NASA scientists explain that these formations were created “billions of years ago when liquid water still existed on the Red Planet. Water carried dissolved minerals into rock cracks and later dried, leaving the hardened minerals behind.”

“This common process, seen extensively on Earth, has produced fantastic shapes on Mars, including a flower-shaped rock.” the agency added in its statement.

The coral-like rock indicates that Mars had a watery past because “Water carried dissolved minerals into rock cracks and later dried, leaving the hardened minerals behind,” NASA said. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Finds like this fuel speculation that life could have once existed on Mars, even if only in microscopic form.

Earlier this year, in June, Curiosity also captured images of another fascinating geological feature. This one has been nicknamed “spiderwebs” because of its strange, web-like network of ridges that resemble an insect’s design.

Much like the coral-shaped rock, these “spiderwebs” are believed to be the hardened remains of minerals left behind after ancient water once filled cracks and gaps in the rock.

“The images and data being collected are already raising new questions about how the Martian surface was changing billions of years ago.” according to a previous NASA update.

“The Red Planet once had rivers, lakes, and possibly an ocean. Although scientists aren’t sure why, its water eventually dried up and the planet transformed into the chilly desert it is today.”

“Remarkably, the boxwork patterns show that even in the midst of this drying, water was still present underground, creating changes seen today.” NASA explained.

“Eons of sandblasting by Martian wind wore away the rock but not the minerals, revealing networks of resistant ridges within.”