Researcher Dr. Peterson, an expert in geological science and engineering, has discovered a mineral that could explain the mountainous landscape of Mars – and could have implications for NASA’s next mission to the Red Planet. Dr. Peterson suggests that Mars was likely wetter in the past. All of the images that are coming back from the rovers show layering in the rock which is indicative of sediment manipulated by water. This kind of out-wash would require a fair amount of water on the planet at some point. The discovery was made in Dr. Peterson’s unheated garage using epsomite, also known as Epsom salts. The solution was left to crystallize for several days at temperatures below freezing, which formed crystals that have unusual properties. The crystals were then rapidly melted, which created mould-like channels and gullies – similar to what we see on the surface of Mars. This indicates that Martian terrain may have been created in a similar fashion.

Crystal molds on Mars: Melting of a possible new mineral species to create Martian chaotic terrain