Curiosity rover captures detailed spiderweb-like formations on Mars
Updated
Updated · Sky at Night Magazine · May 7
Curiosity rover captures detailed spiderweb-like formations on Mars
7 articles · Updated · Sky at Night Magazine · May 7
The images, taken by Mastcam during Curiosity's ascent of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater, show boxwork ridges 1-2 metres high stretching for miles.
Scientists say the formations likely formed as groundwater moved through fractured bedrock, depositing minerals that hardened while surrounding rock later eroded away.
The find suggests liquid water persisted in this region later than previously thought, potentially extending the period when Mars could have supported life.
What mysterious process formed the strange, pea-sized mineral nodules scattered across Mars's newly discovered terrain?
With DNA precursors found nearby, what will tests on the 'spiderweb' ridges reveal about Martian life?
Mars' Spiderweb Boxwork Structures: Evidence of Persistent Groundwater and Habitability from Curiosity's 2025-2026 Exploration
Overview
Between late 2025 and early 2026, NASA's Curiosity rover captured detailed images of unique spiderweb-like boxwork ridges on Mount Sharp, formed billions of years ago by groundwater flowing through fractures and depositing minerals. This groundwater activity persisted later than previously thought, creating mineral nodules in surrounding porous rock and broadening the window for potentially habitable environments on Mars. Curiosity's analysis detected clay and carbonate minerals and performed experiments to search for organic compounds, supporting the possibility of past microbial life despite energy limitations. The rover has since moved to explore sulfate-rich layers that record Mars' major climate shift from a wetter to an arid world, aiming to understand the planet's drying history and its impact on habitability.