NASA's Curiosity rover makes 'exciting' new find on Mars that 'shouldn't be there'

NASA 's Curiosity rovers were cruising across the Martian landscape when they stumbled upon an unexpected treasure trove. After accidentally crushing a rock, the rovers unveiled a dazzling collection of bright yellow sulfur crystals, much to the amazement of NASA scientists.

Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity's project scientist at NASA , was in awe, remarking: "Finding a field of stones made of pure sulfur is like finding an oasis in the desert."

He continued, expressing his intrigue and the thrill of the discovery: "It shouldn't be there, so now we have to explain it. Discovering strange and unexpected things is what makes planetary exploration so exciting."

Since its arrival on Mars in 2012, the rover has been investigating Mount Sharp within the central Gale Crater. This region revealed a surprise with high sulfate levels in the soil, hinting that more crystal findings could be forthcoming.

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The mission's primary goal is to assess Mars' potential for human habitation, but crystals weren't the only significant find. Exploring Gediz Vallis, another Martian area, Curiosity found signs of ancient water activity, suggesting that Mars might one day support human life, reports the Mirror .

The rover's deep dive into the Red Planet's terrain has uncovered more signs of water, with debris analysis suggesting a history of flooding. Becky Williams, Curiosity's Mast Camera deputy principal investigator and Planetary Science Institute scientist, was struck by the findings: "This was not a quiet period on Mars."

She further revealed the dynamic past of the planet, stating, "There was an exciting amount of activity here. We're looking at multiple flows down the channel, including energetic floods and boulder-rich flows. This was not a quiet period on Mars."

Last week, NASA said a meteor soared over the Statue of Liberty on Tuesday morning before it disintegrated about 30 miles above Midtown Manhattan .

The space rock entered the atmosphere above NYC around 11:15 a.m., which coincides with resident accounts of witnessing a flash of fire streak across the sky as the ground subtly shook beneath their feet. The sky flame was reportedly witnessed by 20 people across New York , New Jersey and Connecticut—one said the shooting star shone bright green, yellow and white.

The luminescent spectacle was short-lived, lasting about 30 seconds before breaking off into three pieces, according to the witness who reported the sighting to the American Meteor Society.