NASA: Discovery of pure sulfur on Mars is the first of its kind

Curiosity rover celebrates 10 years since launch to Mars

Curiosity rover has been exploring Mars for a decade (NASA)

NASA announced this week the discovery of rocks made of pure sulfur on the Red Planet.

Yellow sulfur crystals have never been seen in their pure form on Mars before. Previous findings suggested sulfur-based minerals, or a mixture of sulfur and other materials, according to NASA.

Sulfur was discovered by the Curiosity rover. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/NASA)

The crystals were found by accident when NASA’s Curiosity rover broke a rock to expose the crystals, according to the space agency. The rover then found an entire field of what scientists believe were sulfur-laden rocks as well.

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“Finding a field of rocks made of pure sulfur is like finding an oasis in the desert,” said Ashwin Vasavada, a Curiosity project scientist from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

While exploring the Geddes Vallis channel in May, NASA’s Curiosity rover captured this image of rocks appearing pale near their edges. These rings, also called halos, are similar to the markings we see on Earth when groundwater seeps into rocks along cracks, causing chemical reactions that change the color. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/NASA)

“This shouldn’t be there, so now we have to explain it. Discovering strange and unexpected things is what makes planetary exploration so exciting,” she added.

The discovery could be evidence of liquid water at some point in Mars’ past. According to NASA, the crystals found in the Geddes Vallis channel may have been carved by water flows.

Curiosity captured this image of the Geddes Vallis Channel on March 31. The area was likely formed by large floods of water and debris that deposited rocks into hills within the channel. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/NASA)

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NASA said Curiosity was launched in 2011 on a mission to find out if the Red Planet had an environment conducive to supporting microbial life. The rover is continuing its investigation by studying the planet’s rock record.