Unprecedented dark rock discovered on Mars. Nasa refers to it as Skull Hill.

Nasa’s Perseverance rover persists in its examination of the rim of Jezero Crater on Mars, recently exploring an intriguing boundary of light and dark rock formations at a location named “Port Anson” on the lower elevations of “Witch Hazel Hill.”

The rover’s Mastcam-Z instrument photographed intricate images of a unique dark-colored, angular rock referred to as “Skull Hill,” which contrasts vividly with the surrounding lighter landscape. Skull Hill is a kind of “float” rock—one that probably came from a different place and was moved to where it is now. Its surface displays multiple pits, likely created by the erosion of rock fragments or wind abrasion.

Interestingly, the surrounding regolith features small spherical formations referred to as spherules, which have generated scientific curiosity due to their distinctive traits. The dark hue of Skull Hill is similar to meteorites found earlier by Nasa’s Curiosity rover in Gale Crater, which included iron and nickel.

Recent chemical analyses conducted by Perseverance’s SuperCam instrument indicate that the composition of Skull Hill does not correspond to typical meteorites. Rather, it appears to be an igneous rock formed from lava or magma, featuring iron and magnesium-rich minerals like olivine or pyroxene. These minerals are prevalent in volcanic rocks found on both Earth and Mars.

The suite of instruments on the rover is assisting scientists in examining the chemical composition of Skull Hill and other dark float rocks in the Port Anson area. Determining their source—be it volcanic, impact-related, or different—will illuminate the geological history of Jezero Crater and Mars as a whole.

Perseverance’s continued efforts at Witch Hazel Hill keep uncovering a variety of rocks, providing fresh insights into the Red Planet’s historical environment and its ability to have sustained ancient microbial life.

The results of the mission are essential as Nasa gets ready for upcoming human exploration of Mars.