NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured images of a peculiar, volcano-shaped rock on Mars that closely resembles an ancient, weathered battle helmet.
The image, taken on August 5, 2025, by the rover’s Mastcam-Z camera, shows a pointed peak and pitted, nodular surface.
The rock, nicknamed “Horneflya,” is drawing scientific interest not for its shape, but for its composition — it is almost entirely made of spherules.
On Earth, such formations can result from chemical weathering, mineral precipitation, or volcanic activity.
Scientists believe some Martian spherules may have formed when groundwater moved through sedimentary rocks, though the process for all such features remains uncertain.
Mastcam-Z, a pair of high-resolution zoom cameras mounted on the rover, allows the team to identify unusual geological features from a distance.
Over time, Perseverance has documented various oddly shaped rocks, from donut-like meteorites to avocado-like stones — often triggering pareidolia, the human tendency to see familiar shapes in random patterns.
Currently exploring the northern rim of Jezero Crater, Perseverance continues to collect clues about Mars’ environmental history, helping scientists understand how wind, water, and internal geological processes have shaped the planet over billions of years.
