The Perseverance rover found possible traces of ancient life on Mars

NASA announced that the Mars Perseverance rover has detected possible signs of ancient life in Lake Crater. A sample taken in 2024 from the Cheyava Falls rock in the Bright Angel Formation contains potential biosignatures — traces that could be of biological origin.

The study, published in the journal Nature, describes minerals in the Sapphire Canyon sample, including phosphates and iron sulfides — compounds that are often formed on Earth by microorganisms. On the surface of the rock, Perseverance's PIXL and SHERLOC instruments recorded colored "spots" that scientists have called "leopard" patterns, which may be the result of the interaction of organic matter and sedimentary deposits.

However, the researchers note that minerals can also be formed non-biologically, such as by high temperatures or acidity. However, no evidence of such processes has been found in the Bright Angel Formation. This makes the biological interpretation more likely, although there is no definitive confirmation yet.

Interestingly, these possible traces of life were preserved in some of the youngest sedimentary rocks studied by the mission, suggesting that conditions suitable for life have existed on Mars for longer than previously thought.

Since landing in 2021, Perseverance has collected 27 rock samples and is also conducting experiments that pave the way for future missions to return samples to Earth and send humans to Mars.