NASA Scientists Perplexed by Mysterious Mars Rock Unlike Anything They've Ever Seen Before [UPDATE]

clevelandleader.com ^ | January 19, 2014 - 6:25pm | Julie Kent on

[BenLurkin]

Lead Mars Exploration rover scientist Steve Squyres describes the rock as looking like a large jelly donut, explaining:

““It looks white around the edge in the middle and there’s a low spot in the center that’s dark red – it looks like a jelly doughnut.” ”

The instruments on NASA's Opportunity rover that are analyzing the rock are sending back to Earth data that is as mysterious as the jelly donut-like rock itself. Squyres says:

“It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before. It’s very high in sulphur, it’s very high in magnesium, its got twice as much manganese as we’ve ever seen in anything on Mars."

[BenLurkin]

Es ist ein Berliner!

[BenLurkin]

[mrsmith]

I always wondered where Dads put those ashtrays we made for them in the Boy Scouts.

[eldoradude]

Maybe a thunderegg just hatched...

[mkmensinger]

I think it’s part of some luggage lost by an airline.

[Rodamala]

I heard a very long time ago that when Kennedy gave that speech that an alternative translation was “I am a Jelly Donut”... I never really heard anyone mention that in the past 20 years... until now.

[DouglasKC]

Looking at the left picture it looks like an outline of rock...I bet it was covered by dirt/dust in the first pic and then big wind blew the dust/dirt off exposing the rock. That explains the red in the middle...

[Jack Hydrazine]

Maybe Obama. Supposedly he’s been to Mars according to this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0C_oHCpQto

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

It’s not a doughnut. If it were there would be cops sitting around it.

[Lazamataz]

“It looks white around the edge in the middle and there’s a low spot in the center that’s dark red – it looks like a jelly doughnut. It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before. It’s very high in sulphur, it’s very high in magnesium, its got twice as much manganese as we’ve ever seen in anything on Mars."

Martian poop.

[G Larry]

Looks like a lighting and camera angle issue to me.

A diamond shaped object at exactly the right spot is present in the first photo.

Notice the rock to the left of the one the object is sitting on.

The shape seems different due to camera angle.

The object in question appears flatter and is not well lit in Sol 3528.

[G Larry]

“I think it’s part of some luggage lost by an airline.”

No, lost luggage forms Saturn’s rings.

[GeronL]

before and after aren’t exactly from the same angle/distance

[Flick Lives]

"My God, it's full of Jelly Donuts"

[phalynx]

“Can we tax it?” said every democrat everywhere.

[blueunicorn6]

Ohhhhhh.......that’s where I left that.

[Daffynition]

Looks like they already stripped our Mars Rover.

[COBOL2Java]

Maybe Obama. Supposedly he’s been to Mars according to this guy.

Been to Mars?

[Jack Hydrazine]

ROFLMAO!!!!

[ETL]

Figures a commie like Obama would like the “Red” planet.