Curiosity/MSL: A Stone Ring (?) And Some More Observations at "Shaler"

reply to post by eriktheawful


That would surely result in a million or more strange & unique shapes, yes. Ultimately, I could imagine explaining everything we see with some kind of geological process ... if it weren't for the amount of unusual features, their interesting geometrical details and sometimes even the symmetrical properties we saw to some extent.

And let's not forget the dust-cover that makes everything blend in perfectly with the surroundings. That's why I believe the big picture tells a different story. But of course: that's just me, the convinced armchair conspiracy theorist trying to make his case ...

reply to post by jeep3r


Maybe the actuall US govern situation may call for a NASA startling anouncement...
Obama would surely benefit from a "one for the History books" at this point. And so would we

Nice find.
This Ventifact thing is becoming the new "it's just rocks", although it may well be it. It looks like a water pipe duct for me. But it could be easily taken as an archeological pot or similar man made object if it was found here on earth.

..so.. Let's suppose (as a mental exercise) that Mr. archeogist found this digging somewhere in Palestine. What would you first consider: Ventifact or man made Artifact??

The "fact" that's on Mars leads us to a safe explanation as being "Ventifact" and not "Artifact", although both possibilities would be equally unsustained conjectures. Rocks are rocks. ventifacts could be something else!

Another broken bubble like object at the center of this picture (in the shadowed area) from Sol 302:



Also note a serpentine formation (probably within another bubble) in the bottom left corner.

reply to post by ElfQrin


This *is* an interesting image...

It would be very helpful to have some other eyes look it over. "It's just rocks" and "it may be something else" crowds both welcome.

jeep3r
Some new MastCam100 images were uploaded to the sol 309 archive last night and I thought one of those might be worth taking a closer look at.

Original NASA/JPL image

Surely if this was a Mud bubble it should have been blasted from the face of Mars Millions of years ago..or is it the fossil of a Mud Bubble?