New Delhi, Nov. 21 -- NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered an unusual iron- and nickel-rich rock on Mars that scientists believe may be a meteorite - a fragment that originated elsewhere in the solar system.

During its latest survey of the bedrock in the "Vernodden" region, the rover identified a striking, sculpted rock named "Phippsaksla," measuring about 80 centimeters across. Its tall, carved appearance stood out sharply against the surrounding flat, fractured terrain.

Using its SuperCam instrument, Perseverance analyzed the rock and found it to be high in iron and nickel - a hallmark of iron-nickel meteorites formed in the cores of large asteroids. This suggests the rock may have originated beyond Mars before landing on the plan...