NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Spots Unusual Rock That Looks Like An Open Book

An unusual shape of a rock on Mars has caught the attention of NASA scientists. The rock that looks like an open book was photographed by the US space research centre’s Curiosity Mars rover. Dubbed “Terra Firme”, this geological object’s appearance is that of a small book with overturning pages. It was spotted on April 15 and as per Sci Tech Daily, this book-lookalike object measures about 2.5 centimetres. It is suggested that the rock formation could be a result of water deposition on harder minerals and wind erosion changing its shape over time.

The official social media page of Curiosity Rover shared the captured photograph of the rock via Twitter last week, leaving space lovers equal parts curious and fascinated. “Just doing some light reading. My team thinks this uniquely-shaped pebble resembles an open book with pages blowing in the wind. (Though at only an inch across, it would be a teeny tiny book),” the organization captioned the photo.

Take a look at it here:

With over a lakh views, the reply section has clocked in a barrage of responses from Twitter users. One of them commented, “This may not be, but it sure looks close. I didn’t think right angles occurred in nature.”

Another wrote, “That’s very cool! Now another question arises: What would the title of the book be?”

One more agreed, “It certainly looks like a book. An open book. Did you find any message written for you there?”

Meanwhile, a section of users began to theorize what if there lived a civilization on Mars that humans are yet to discover. One user said, “Maybe there was a civilization on Mars and they left a book.”

Another added, “Well we do have many tiny books on Earth. Perhaps it’s for tiny Martians.”

One more asked, “What if the Martian aliens are teeny tiny?”

The Curiosity Mars rover is a car-sized mobile laboratory that was launched on to the surface of Mars to explore its climate, geology, and habitability. The rover is equipped with well-defined sensors, cameras, and other scientific instruments that enables scientists to collect data, conduct experiments, and research the planet’s history and evolution.