NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n
NASA’s Curiosity rover discovered the largest field of honeycomb-shaped patterns ever seen on Mars’ surface<\/p>\n
Scientists believe the formations may have formed billions of years ago from repeated wet and dry cycles<\/p>\n
Curiosity has previously found evidence that ancient Mars had water and the chemistry to support microscopic life<\/p>\n
A massive field of honeycomb-shaped patterns has been discovered by NASA’s Curiosity rover \u2014\u00a0giving scientists new clues about the planet’s past.<\/p>\n
The formations, known as polygonal fractures, were spotted as the rover explored a valley called Valle Grande, according to a news release by NASA<\/a>. While Curiosity has seen small patches of these shapes before, this is the largest area ever found.<\/p>\n The Sunday, July 19, and Monday, July 20, 360-degree panorama shows the honeycomb-like patterns stretching across the landscape as far as the rover can see.<\/p>\n Each of the polygon-shaped cracks measures about 1.5 inches to 3 inches across, according to NASA. Scientists aren’t yet sure how they formed, but they believe the patterns could have been created billions of years ago when water repeatedly soaked and dried the ground.<\/p>\n “We’ve seen a lot of fascinating landscapes through Curiosity’s eyes, but this sea of polygons took our breath away,” the mission’s project scientist, Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said. “We measured their shapes and chemistry carefully and are hopeful there are clues in the data as to how these features formed.”<\/p>\n The Curiosity rover has been exploring Mars since it landed in 2012.<\/p>\n Along with discovering sulfur crystals, shiny meteorites and other unusual rock formations, Curiosity has made some of its biggest discoveries about ancient Mars, the space agency said. Scientists have found evidence that the planet once had water, the right chemical ingredients and nutrients needed to support microscopic life.<\/p>\n Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/p>\n Curiosity has previously uncovered chemistry left over from Mars’ watery history, including carbon-based molecules believed to be precursors to RNA and DNA<\/a>, two nucleic acids that carry genetic information, according to NASA.<\/p>\n Scientists have no way of knowing whether these organic molecules were created by biologic or geologic processes, but their discovery reconfirmed that ancient Mars had the right chemistry to support life<\/a>.<\/p>\n