Billions of years ago, an hours-long Martian sand storm blew so intensely that waves of sand began to climb over each other as they moved across the surface. These layers of sediment eventually hardened into the multi-layered rocks seen in this image, which was taken by NASA’s Curiosity rover on December 12, 2024, the 4,391st Martian day, or sol, of the mission.

Scientists believe this is the first evidence of rising wind wave strata on the Red Planet. These rocks, discovered in a location nicknamed “Jawbone Canyon,” are a rare time capsule preserving a dramatic wind event early in Martian history. An article detailing the discovery appeared on the cover of Geology magazine on July 1, 2026.