Mars 'Skull Hill' Rock Mystery

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NASA's Perseverance rover spotted a mysterious dark rock nicknamed "Skull Hill" on Mars that looks strangely out of place among lighter-colored surroundings.

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The angular, pitted rock was found on April 11, 2025, at a site called Port Anson while the rover explored the rim of Jezero Crater.

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Scientists believe "Skull Hill" is a "float rock" that formed elsewhere on Mars and was transported to its current location, possibly billions of years ago.

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The distinctive pits that give the rock its skull-like appearance likely formed either from softer minerals eroding away or from wind carrying abrasive particles.

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Initial chemical analysis using the rover's SuperCam ruled out the meteorite theory, suggesting instead that "Skull Hill" is probably an igneous rock formed from cooled magma or lava.

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This curious find joins other unusual Martian rocks discovered by Perseverance, including the bubbly-textured "St Paul's Bay" and the uniquely textured "Silver Mountain."

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"Crater rims — you gotta love 'em," said Katie Morgan, Perseverance's Project Scientist, describing the recent discoveries as "a whirlwind for the science team."

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In recent months, the rover has collected samples from five rocks, analyzed seven others in detail, and laser-studied 83 more—its fastest pace since landing four years ago.

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