NASA Curiosity Rover Discovers Vast Polygonal Cracks on Mars

NASA’s Curiosity rover captured a 360‑degree panorama of an extensive field of polygonal cracks in the Valle Grande region of Mars. The cracks, each about four to eight centimetres across, form a “sea of polygons” that researchers have not seen at a single site before.

Project scientist Ashwin Vasavada of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the team is measuring the shapes and chemical composition of the features to determine their origin. Possible explanations include drying mud, thermal contraction from temperature swings, or pressure on underlying sediment layers. The images were assembled from photos taken on 19‑20 June 2026, and the data will be compared with earlier observations to pinpoint the most likely formation process.

The discovery adds to Curiosity’s 14‑year mission of studying Mars’ geology and past habitability, offering new clues about the planet’s environmental history.