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"Curiosity" on Mars

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@Newb: I think if you do some research and figure out the scale of that photo you will find out that those "walls" are a few inches thick.

They are natural geologic features.

I'm eager to find out about the scale. If you have a link to information on scale of Curiosity pictures during these Sols, that'd be much appreciated. If natural, how do you explain the rectangles? Again, I'm not an expert in geology. That's why I was looking for expert input or educated guesses here on off-topic.

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I once spoke to a scientist at JPL while on a tour, and he said that they would LOVE to find evidence of some unnatural structures or extraterrestrial intelligence out there. He went on to say it would be the surest path to pretty much unlimited funding to go and figure it out, and it would make no sense to try and cover it up.

Interesting! I hope they do more investigation in those patterns in the days ahead. More funding for Mars missions would also trigger huge investments for SpaceX which many of us would surely love to see.
 
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There are many "artificial" looking shapes in geology. Crystalline structures, layered sedimentary rocks (which Mars has) that can over time be turned near vertically, hexagonal basalt columns, it's a long list.

Agreed. Out of context we can have fun speculating but the reality is the KISS principle. My instincts are telling me this is natural.

In space and planetary bodies, never attribute intelligence to something that could even possibly be natural. They once thought pulsars were alien communications because of the regularity of the pulses. KISS.
 
There are many "artificial" looking shapes in geology. Crystalline structures, layered sedimentary rocks (which Mars has) that can over time be turned near vertically, hexagonal basalt columns, it's a long list.

Thanks, didn't know.

As for context/scale: I've found a picture with a wheel (which is 20 inches in diameter) and part of the pattern:
20080307a_MSL_wheel_Sean_Haggert.jpg


NLB_479703856EDR_F0450852NCAM00350M_.JPG


And here a picture of the whole pattern from below the rover:
FRB_479702715EDR_F0450852FHAZ00302M_.JPG
 
I've come across a blog which is written by research geologists at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center who are members of MSL science team at NASA:
News | USGS Astrogeology Science Center

They are really excited to find out what this structure is made of. Curiosity will undertake chemical analyses as well. The MSL team has named the structure "garden city". :-D

On the web, there are, of course, many wild speculations by now. Some people say this could be petrified wood or roots or similar. Others talk about less likely stuff like gold veins or destabilized metallic structures millions of years old.

Here's the latest blog entry from the expert geologists:
Sols 932-934 What’s Growing in Garden City? | USGS Astrogeology Science Center

Looking forward to the first chem analysis.

EDIT:

Here's a close-up to one of the pieces in this structure:
0930MH0004780010303198C00_DXXX.jpg

beautiful

0932MH0001530000303233R00_DXXX.jpg


All pictures from:
Raw Images - Mars Science Laboratory
 
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