It employs some of the best scientists in the world.

But even NASA‘s top experts have been left baffled by the latest discovery.

NASA’s Perseverance rover has spotted a mysterious rock on the Red Planet, which the space agency has named ‘Skull Hill’.

The rock was discovered in the Port Anson region, which lies on the rim of the Jezero Crater.

Initial analysis suggests it may be a ‘float’ – a type of neat rock that may have originated from elsewhere before being transported to its current location.

‘This float rock uniquely contrasts the surrounding light-toned outcrop with its dark tone and angular surface, and it features a few pits in the rock,’ NASA said.

‘If you look closely, you might even spot spherules within the surrounding regolith!’

However, the space agency admits that its true origin remains a mystery.

Skull Hill was snapped by Perseverance’s Mastcam-Z instrument earlier this month, as the rover continued its journey down lower Witch Hazel Hill.

‘The rover stopped along a boundary visible from orbit dividing light and dark rock outcrop (also known as a contact) at a site the team has called ‘Port Anson’,’ NASA said.

‘In addition to this contact, the rover has encountered a variety of neat rocks that may have originated from elsewhere and transported to their current location, also known as float.’

The rock contains dark pits, which resemble the eye sockets of a skull.

‘The pits on Skull Hill may have formed via the erosion of clasts from the rock or scouring by wind,’ NASA suggested.

‘We’ve found a few of these dark-toned floats in the Port Anson region.

‘The team is working to better understand where these rocks came from and how they got here.’

While its origin remains unknown, NASA has two main theories.

‘Skull Hill’s dark color is reminiscent of meteorites found in Gale crater by the Curiosity rover,’ NASA explained.

‘Chemical composition is an important factor in identifying a meteorite, and Gale’s meteorites contain significant amounts of iron and nickel.’

However, the rover recently analysed similar rocks nearby, and found that the composition was inconsistent with a meteorite origin.

Alternatively, NASA suggests that Skull Hill could be an igneous rock eroded from a nearby outcrop or ejected from an impact crater.

‘On Earth and Mars, iron and magnesium are some of the main contributors to igneous rocks, which form from the cooling of magma or lava,’ the space agency said.

‘These rocks can include dark-colored minerals such as olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, and biotite.’

Thankfully, the mystery of the rock’s origin should soon be solved, as Perseverance has the right instruments to measure the chemical composition of rocks.

‘Understanding the composition of these darker-toned floats will help the team to interpret the origin of this unique rock!’ NASA added.

[H/T Daily Mail]