NASA announced on the 10th that the Perseverance rover collected a rock core sample from an ancient dry riverbed in Jezero Crater on Mars last year that may contain evidence of ancient microbial life. A related paper was published the same day in the British journal Nature.
The core sample, named “Sapphire Canyon,” comes from a rock discovered by Perseverance last July while exploring the Bright Angel Formation. Perseverance’s onboard instruments revealed that the sedimentary rocks in the Bright Angel Formation are primarily composed of clay and silt, which on Earth are highly suitable for preserving traces of ancient microbial life. These rocks are also rich in chemical elements such as organic carbon, sulfur, iron oxide, and phosphorus.
NASA stated that the sample collected by Perseverance contains a “potential biosignature.” A “potential biosignature” refers to materials or structures that may contain biological origins, but further data and research are needed to confirm their association with life. This discovery is particularly surprising because the rocks are among the youngest sedimentary rocks explored by Perseverance. Previously, scientists speculated that signs of ancient life on Mars might only exist in older rock formations.
Perseverance scientist and lead author of the paper, Joel Hurovitz, said the chemical combinations discovered by the rover could provide a rich energy source for microbial metabolism. However, these chemical signatures alone are not sufficient to prove they are potential signs of microbial life, and further analysis of the data is needed.
Sean Duffy, acting administrator of NASA, said that this latest discovery by Perseverance is the closest to “discovering life on Mars” so far. It is a milestone and will enhance human understanding of Mars.
The Perseverance rover landed in Jezero Crater on Mars in February 2021. Perseverance’s mission reportedly includes searching for possible signs of ancient life on Mars, exploring the planet’s geology and climate, and paving the way for future human exploration and landing on Mars.
