Curiosity captures 1.5 billion-pixel panorama of boxwork formations on Mars
Updated
Updated · Science@NASA · Apr 30
Curiosity captures 1.5 billion-pixel panorama of boxwork formations on Mars
2 articles · Updated · Science@NASA · Apr 30
NASA said the 360-degree view was stitched from 1,031 Mastcam images taken between 9 November and 7 December 2025 at the Nevado Sajama ridgetop site.
The panorama followed a drilled rock sample collection and shows boxwork as low ridges 1 to 2 metres tall and about 9 metres across, with sandy hollows between them.
Curiosity has explored the boxwork region since May 2025; the image is among its largest ever, though smaller than the rover's 1.8 billion-pixel record panorama.
These Martian ridges suggest a far deeper ancient water table. How does this rewrite the timeline for potential life on Mars?
After finding diverse organics in 2020, what new molecules from the 'boxwork' ridges could finally point to ancient Martian life?