Today’s Solutions: November 14, 2024

As always at The Optimist Daily, we like to keep our readers up to date on exciting findings on Mars. Last time we reported on NASA’s perseverance rover stumbling across organic molecules. Now we want to bring to light a finding from another one of our interplanetary robot friends, the Curiosity rover.

The robot has uncovered some interesting mineral structures, the most intriguing forming in the shape of a flower. Other structures found close by the flower have been named “blueberries,” after their small, rounded appearance.

Scientists think that these structures were created by minerals, like salts and sulfates, precipitating from water to form diagenetic crystal clusters. Diagenetic basically means the rearrangement of crystals to result in three-dimensional crystal clusters.

It is thought that these structures were previously integrated into rocks that have eroded over time.

This is the first flower-like structure to be found on Mars, although these 3D crystals have been spotted before. Way back in 2013, Curiosity spotted crystals with “cauliflower” features, which had many knobby protrusions hence the name.

Through understanding more about the conditions on Mars, the more we learn about the natural world, shifts in climate, and other worldly conditions. Who knows, we might be moving there one day!

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Two Black women to serve together in the United States Senate in a historic f...

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For the first time in American history, two Black women will serve together in the Senate. Angela Alsobrooks, ...

Read More

Resilient community-building: staying safe in times of uncertainty

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY TEAM Recent global and domestic developments have left many feminists and allies feeling uneasy, uncertain about their place in society, ...

Read More

3 lifestyle hacks to help you become a little happier

There is no one path to finding happiness, but there are some lifestyle changes you can make to become more receptive to happiness. Without ...

Read More

For the first time ever, Greece meets energy demands with 100% renewables

The other week, Greece celebrated an exciting milestone! All of the country’s electricity needs were met by renewable energy for the first time, as ...

Read More