Dragon Scales Surface Texture

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured this interesting surface structure, all thanks to rock and water interactions. Erosion and further exposure to the elements eventually uncovered the granite. The pinkish, almost dragon-like texture shows Martian bedrock that deliberately transformed into clay-bearing rock.

To understand how the clay formed over time, we need to understand the water, fundamental for the modification, better. Changed rocks on Mars have been studied for years by the Martian research community, and that comes as no surprise. As a result, scientists may learn more about the planet’s previous temperature and whether or not it ever supported life.