within the lighter matrix rock. That lighter rock appears to be essentially a fluid -- as perhaps were the spheres at one time. Since the spheres are found all over the surface -- and in a wide range of sizes -- but they seem to originate in the light colored rock, I wonder if they are some how precipitated within it by chemical reaction within a fluid.

At one point when I was speculating on the origin of the many White Rock formations, I suggested that whatever they were, they might be the result of internal materials being forced to the surface (of course the hooting and cat-calling was intense the way it gets around here.) But if the light colored rock at the Opportunity site is the same sort of stuff as the White Rock formations (I'll bet it is), why not such an origin? It would help us to understand the detailed as well as the overall appearance.

Look at some of the large craters to the north and west of Meridiani (and elsewhere). Note the dark "tails" emanating from them. These have always been defined as wind streaks, but what if they are something else? What if they are the remnants of deposits like we see in Meridiani?

Some of the formations in MOC images of deposits within the streaks look startlingly like precipitated materials, or even stromatolites. Who knows?

But the thing is, whatever we're seeing in Meridiani is truly astonishing, wonderful, outrageous, and alien as heck!

I love it!

Cheers, BRFelix