NASA’s Curiosity rover photographed rocky formations near a dry stream bed. The pictures were published on the official website of the space organization.

According to scientists, clay mineral deposits appeared at the foot of Mount Sharp (whose height reaches five kilometers) at a time when there were lakes and streams on the planet that flowed through Gale Crater. Earlier studies managed to fix lacustrine deposits located down the slope. However, dunes and other signs of a hotter climate can now be tracked on the resulting maps.

It is assumed that the hills in this area were formed as a result of blowing sand dunes, which then hardened and formed into layered rocks. The higher the rover drives, the more sulfate the rocks become. Curiosity will soon present the latest rock sample, which will allow more detailed conclusions about the nature of the mineral composition of the area.