What Is Phippsaksla? All About ‘Alien’ Rock Discovered on Mars by NASA’s Perseverance Rover
NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered a mysterious rock on Mars, named Phippsaksla, that stands out from its surroundings. With a strange shape and unusual composition, the rock has sparked curiosity and speculation about its origins, with some calling it an “alien” rock. Let’s explore what makes Phippsaksla so intriguing.
Mumbai, November 20: Could Mars be hiding alien visitors in plain sight? NASA’s Perseverance rover may have stumbled upon one such mystery with the discovery of a peculiar rock on the Red Planet. Unlike its surrounding terrain, this unusual formation immediately caught scientists’ attention. Its strange shape and composition have led to speculation about its origins. Some are even calling it an “alien” rock on Mars.
Found in the Vernodden area of Jezero Crater, the rock has been named Phippsaksla and is already sparking curiosity across the scientific community. While initial observations show it stands out from typical Martian stones, many questions remain about its true nature. Could it have travelled from elsewhere in the solar system, or is it just an odd piece of local geology? The intrigue surrounding this discovery is growing as researchers prepare to study it more closely. Let’s know all about Phippsaksla and why it has scientists buzzing about its possible alien origins. NASA Unveils Stunning Close-Up Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS as Rare Visitor Makes Single Pass Through Solar System.
What is Phippsaksla?
According to a NASA report, Phippsaksla is an 80-centimetre-wide rock discovered by the Perseverance rover in the Vernodden area of Jezero Crater on Mars. The rock immediately drew attention due to its unusual, sculpted shape and the way it stands higher than the surrounding terrain. Initial analyses using Perseverance’s SuperCam instrument revealed that Phippsaksla is rich in iron and nickel, suggesting it may be an iron-nickel meteorite, a type of metallic rock that typically forms in the cores of large asteroids. Such meteorites are much rarer than stony rocks and provide important insights into the early Solar System. Have Aliens Already Visited Earth? Ex-NASA Engineer Claims US Government, Private Firms Trying To Reverse Engineer Alien Technology Recovered From Crashed UFOs.
While scientists have identified iron-nickel meteorites on Mars before, Phippsaksla is the first of its kind spotted by Perseverance in Jezero Crater. Further investigations are required to confirm its exact origins and whether it truly arrived from elsewhere in the solar system. If confirmed, studying Phippsaksla could help researchers understand more about asteroid impacts on Mars and the planet’s geological history. Perseverance’s ongoing mission to explore Martian rocks and terrain continues to uncover remarkable findings, with Phippsaksla now adding a potentially extraterrestrial piece to its collection.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 20, 2025 07:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).