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A reddit user[1] enhanced a closeup: http://i.imgur.com/99jDI.jpg http://i.imgur.com/99jDI.jpg This was taken from http://www.universetoday.com/97774/curiosity

• chucknelson 14y ago
  As a casual observer, I would think that it is just some bit of material that fell off of the rover.
  • ceejayoz 14y ago
    Which I'd imagine shouldn't ever happen, and that's why they're taking a very cautious approach to using the robotic arm until they can rule that out.
    • ktizo 14y ago
      I wouldn't worry. As anyone who has dismantled technology can tell you, usually anything up to 90% of the small screws in any piece of equipment are entirely unnecessary, and in many cases seem to have manifested themselves spontaneously out of the vacuum. Or possibly the hoover.
      • waterlesscloud 14y ago
        The best theory I've seen is that it's a piece of foil tape that's crumbled in the harsh cold. Hopefully that's all it is.
        • ceejayoz 14y ago
          There does appear to be a screw hole with a missing screw, though: http://postimage.org/image/ouvupuniz/full/ http://postimage.org/image/ouvupuniz/full/
          • 3rd3 14y ago
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjEgTuCFLU4&t=0m36s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjEgTuCFLU4&t=0m36s
            • ceejayoz 14y ago
              Nice find!
  • res0nat0r 14y ago
    Could possibly wire insulation: http://imgur.com/a/HR9DS#0 http://imgur.com/a/HR9DS#0
  • junto 14y ago
    With a jovial tone, I believe this is a case of Martian littering. Looks like part of a Martian Chips packet to me.