NASA's Perseverance rover photographs unusual stacked rocks on Mars

On May 13, NASA's Perseverance rover captured an image of three rocks on the Martian surface that appear neatly stacked. Scientists say the formation is most likely the result of natural processes such as wind erosion or ancient water activity, rather than any artificial intervention.

Separate research on a small fragment of the Martian meteorite NWA 8171, housed at the Royal Ontario Museum, identified the mineral andradite garnet – a type of garnet not previously observed in Martian samples. The mineral typically forms under extreme pressure and temperature conditions, suggesting either a history of metamorphism on Mars or delivery by another impacting body. Researchers will continue to investigate the origin of this mineral to better understand the Red Planet's geological evolution.