Curiosity Rover Finds "the most bizarre rock" on Mars

originally posted by: Blackfinger
Probably Iron Oxides or a harder crystalline structure with a softer rock surrounding it like sandstone.

Ah , NO .

originally posted by: Hecate666
Yes, but it's sideways. Meaning it was formed a loooooong rime ago. Otherwise the spikes wouldn't end in a point.

Did you see the panoramic image? Look at the top left of the image.

(click for full size)

It looks like those rocks with the "spines" came tumbling from that broken upper layer.

Someone said there is less wind on Mars, but there are gails and dust devils and fluctuations in temperature.

Not less wind, less atmospheric pressure.

Although the winds have higher velocities, the thinner air doesn't allow the movement of bigger particles, so only the smallest dust particles are sent by the wind against the rocks, resulting in a weaker erosion.

Again, I always go for rational explanatios first, but they still have to make sense.
Mineral deposits doesn't quite cut it for me.
Maybe there are deposits on something else that doesn't erode so quickly?

Probably right, I was thinking along the lines of some form of crystalization dusted over.
a reply to: Blackfinger

a reply to: ArMaP

Really nice example!

It seems that the "phenomenon" shown in the OP is now just one example of this "phenomena" appearing elsewhere on Mars as well ...

I hadn't seen (or noticed) this kind of erosion before.