Mars' mysterious yardangs may hold secrets from ancient volcanic eruptions

Space · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Deep within Gale Crater, a rover is ascending a mountain of stacked geological layers to solve a Martian mystery. Scientists are eyeing a peculiar, tilted formation that looks almost plastered onto the landscape—a feature that could reveal how the Red Planet’s environment shifted billions of years ago.

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, featuring the Curiosity rover, targeted Gale Crater for its landing in August 2012. This site was selected specifically because it contains a mountain of stacked layers that serve as a geological record of Mars' environmental history. The crater itself spans approximately 96 miles (154 kilometers) in diameter and houses a mountain that rises higher from the floor than Mt. Rainier does above Seattle.

Since beginning its ascent in 2014, Curiosity has climbed a total of 0.6 miles (1 kilometer), marking the most elevation ever reached by a rover on Mars. A primary goal is to study Mount Sharp, which consists of layers recording distinct periods of history, including ancient lakes and streams that eventually dried up to leave salty minerals behind. Nevertheless, a distinct geological feature called yardangs has been spotted; these are cliffs shaped by wind that stretch approximately 10 miles (16 kilometers) through the mountain's northwest area.

The yardang layer is an anomaly; it possesses an unusual color and tilt that makes it appear out of place compared to surrounding deposits. The exact beginnings of this formation are unknown, though Ashwin Vasavada, a project scientist, proposes it might consist of ash left behind by prehistoric volcanic activity. Currently traversing strata containing carbonates and sulfates—which signify surface desiccation—Curiosity aims to arrive at the yardangs' bottom during 2027 to gather distinct information regarding their development.

The mission is a collaborative effort led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by Caltech, with hardware like the Mastcam system provided by Malin Space Science Systems. By analyzing these specific geological transitions, scientists aim to reconstruct the timeline of how water vanished and wind began sculpting the Martian surface.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The Yardangs: Mars' Mysterious Plastered Cliffs and Volcanic Secrets
• NASA’s Curiosity rover is scaling a three-mile-tall mountain to unlock Martian history
• NASA’s Curiosity rover is scaling a three-mile-tall mountain to unlock ancient Martian secrets
• Mars rocks hold rounded secrets of a vigorous ancient river
• How Curiosity has traversed the Martian landscape since 2012
• A journey to the oldest rocks on the Martian surface
• The rover that lived twenty-five times longer than it was planned
• Mars may still host liquid water flows in its warm seasons
• NASA's Perseverance Rover Just Heard Mars' First Lightning Strike
• A basketball-sized rock may reveal the secrets of Mars' interior
• How NASA tests supersonic parachutes for landing heavy payloads on the surface of Mars
• Before it hit Mars, Curiosity took its first steps on Earth

More in Mars exploration · More in Space · Latest · A–Z · All topics