NASA Finds Mysterious Spheres on Mars: New Clue to Planetary History

On day 1555 of its mission to Mars (July 5, 2025, Sol 1555), NASA's Perseverance rover discovered nearly perfectly round stone spheres (spherules) in the Rowsell Hill region. These formations, captured by the WATSON camera, offer new clues about high-energy events in Mars' past.

Unlike the hematite-containing, "blueberry"-like stones previously discovered by Opportunity, these new spheres are thought to be basaltic in structure and formed at high temperatures. Scientists believe these formations could have been formed either by the sudden cooling of volcanic lava or by molten material freezing in the air after meteorite impacts and falling to the ground.

Perseverance previously collected samples from similar structures at Hare Bay and Witch Hazel Hill. Some of the spheres were found to have broken away from the rock layers over time and rise to the surface. Advanced instruments like SuperCam and PIXL onboard are analyzing the chemical composition of these structures.

"Understanding the formation of these rocks could provide a valuable insight into Mars' geological and cosmic history," said Andrew Shumway, lead author of the study. Whether volcanic or impact-related, these rocks could provide valuable insights into early Martian natural history.

This remarkable discovery by NASA has given new impetus to scientific studies aimed at illuminating the still-unresolved dynamic past of Mars.