Red planet coughs up a white rock, and scientists freak out

We all know that Mars is the red planet, but this week it's a white Martian rock that has scientists seeing stars. The white rock was so unexpected, in fact, that it momentarily blinded the sensors on NASA's Curiosity rover, which hadn't been calibrated to respond to something so bright. The white coloring, scientists say, points to the presence of "hydrated minerals" — meaning, it's evidence of a time when water was found on the planet. This isn't the first time the Mars rover has found evidence of a watery past: It earlier traveled through a section of the planet that scientists believe was once covered by 3 feet of water. [Source]

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