Mars: NASA Discovers the Red Planet Is Really Blue

NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered a treasure trove of diverse and intriguing rocks while exploring an ancient river channel on Mars , providing scientists with new insights into the Red Planet 's geological history.

What was initially seen as a mere shortcut through Neretva Vallis to avoid wheel-damaging boulders has turned into a scientific goldmine.

The rover's detour through a dune field not only cut weeks off its journey to the "Bright Angel" area but also presented researchers with an unexpected opportunity to study fascinating geological features within an ancient Martian waterway.

"The diversity of textures and compositions at Mount Washburn was an exciting discovery for the team, as these rocks represent a grab bag of geologic gifts brought down from the crater rim and potentially beyond," Brad Garczynski of Western Washington University in Bellingham, the co-lead of the current science campaign, said in a statement.

One of the most exciting discoveries came at a location dubbed "Mount Washburn," where Perseverance encountered a variety of rock types previously unseen on Mars.

Among the diverse collection of blue rocks at Mount Washburn, one boulder stood out dramatically.

Nicknamed "Atoko Point," this light-colored, speckled rock measures about 18 inches wide and 14 inches tall. Analysis using the rover's SuperCam and Mastcam-Z instruments revealed that Atoko Point is composed of pyroxene and feldspar minerals.

What makes Atoko Point truly unique is its mineral composition, crystal structure, and, potentially, its chemical makeup. Scientists are debating its origin, with some speculating it formed in a subsurface magma body now exposed on the crater rim, while others propose it may have been transported from far beyond Jezero Crater by ancient Martian waters.

The blue rocks and Atoko Point were initially photographed in June.