Mudstone for silt (63 μm). On December 13, 2016, NASA reported further evidence supporting habitability on the planet Mars as the "Curiosity" rover climbed higher, studying younger layers, on Mount Sharp. Also reported, the very soluble element boron was detected for the first time on Mars. In June 2018, NASA reported that "Curiosity" had detected kerogen and other complex organic compounds from mudstone rocks approximately 3.5 billion years old. Mudstone Mudstone, a type of mudrock, is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Grain size is up to with individual grains too small to be distinguished without
Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory and natural gas on Earth. NASA stated that these findings are not evidence that life existed on the planet, but that the organic compounds needed to sustain microscopic life were present, and that there may be deeper sources of organic compounds on the planet. Since September 15, 2018, a glitch in "Curiosity"'s active computer (Side-B) has prevented "Curiosity" from storing science and key engineering data. On October 3, 2018, the JPL began operating "Curiosity" on its backup computer (Side-A). "Curiosity" will store science and engineering data normally using its Side-A computer until the cause of the glitch in Side-B is