Space
A bizarre Martian rock with zebra-like stripes has left scientists puzzled. Could this out-of-place formation rewrite what we know about the Red planet?
Melissa Ait Lounis
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NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured an image of a never-before-seen Martian rock formation that scientists believe could hold vital clues about the planet’s ancient history.
The striped, black-and-white boulder—dubbed ‘Freya Castle’—was discovered in September 2024 during the rover’s ongoing climb of Jezero crater, as reported by Live Science based on official NASA communications.
An Outlier On Mars: What Makes The Zebra Rock So Unusual?
The rock, informally named Freya Castle, stands out due to its pronounced striped pattern, earning it the nickname ‘zebra rock’. Unlike typical Martian stones, which generally blend with the surrounding red-hued landscape, this rock features alternating dark and light bands, hinting at a complex formation history.
It measures about 8 inches (20 cm) across and appears distinct from the surrounding bedrock. NASA’s early analysis suggests that the texture could result from igneous or metamorphic processes, both of which imply significant geological activity—either the slow crystallization of magma or high-pressure transformations deep below the surface.
Clues In The Crater
Perseverance discovered the rock during its fifth science mission, the Crater Rim Campaign, in the upper regions of Jezero crater—an area believed to have once housed a lake.
The rover had already left the site when the images were analyzed, but the peculiar nature of Freya Castle has prompted new interest in this specific zone. Scientists now hope to find similar rocks higher up the slope, potentially leading to in-situ studies of the same type of material.
If such outcrops are found, it could indicate the zebra rock is not a one-off anomaly, but part of a broader geological formation dating back billions of years.
Was Freya Castle Transported From Elsewhere?
NASA’s analysis suggests that Freya Castle may have rolled down from a higher elevation, possibly dislodged during a seismic event or by erosion over time. Its isolated placement and distinct composition support the hypothesis that it does not belong to the current geological layer.
If true, this displacement could provide insight into erosional and tectonic processes that shaped Jezero crater’s structure. Understanding how materials move across the Martian surface is a key part of unraveling the planet’s climatic and geological evolution.
Perseverance’s Broader Mission Continues
The discovery of the zebra rock is only one of several notable observations by Perseverance. Previous campaigns have documented leopard-spotted rocks, light-colored boulders, and sedimentary deposits that may contain microbial fossils. These finds align with the rover’s overarching mission: to search for signs of ancient life and to catalog Mars’ environmental history.
As the rover climbs toward the rim of the crater, NASA hopes to encounter more rock types like Freya Castle, which could contain trapped biosignatures or mineral records of ancient Martian water activity. Perseverance remains in excellent condition as it ascends one of Mars’ most promising geological features.
The team behind the rover is optimistic that the upper elevations of Jezero crater may reveal a more complete picture of Mars’ dynamic and potentially habitable past. With each new discovery, including the enigmatic zebra rock, scientists edge closer to determining whether Mars once supported microbial life.
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