NASA’s Perseverance rover may have uncovered one of the strongest pieces of evidence yet in the search for life on Mars.
A rock sample collected from Jezero Crater, known as ‘Sapphire Canyon,’ could preserve signs of ancient microbial activity, according to new research.
The sample was drilled from a rocky outcrop called ‘Cheyava Falls’ in 2024. Scientists believe its chemical makeup contains what are known as potential biosignatures – substances or structures that might indicate biological origins, though further analysis is needed before drawing firm conclusions.
Commenting on the discovery, acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, said: “This finding by Perseverance is the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars.
“The identification of a potential biosignature on the Red Planet is a groundbreaking discovery, and one that will advance our understanding of Mars.
“NASA’s commitment to conducting Gold Standard Science will continue as we pursue our goal of putting American boots on Mars’ rocky soil.”
Exploring the Jezero Crater
Jezero Crater once held a vast river delta, making it one of the most promising sites to search for traces of Martian life.
Perseverance encountered Cheyava Falls while exploring the ‘Bright Angel’ formation, a set of rocky outcrops on the edge of Neretva Vallis. This ancient river valley, once carved by flowing water, deposited sediments rich in clay and silt.
On Earth, these fine-grained materials are excellent at trapping and preserving microbial fossils. They also host chemical compounds – organic carbon, sulfur, iron oxides, and phosphorus – that could have provided energy sources for early microbial ecosystems.
Strange spots with big implications
High-tech instruments aboard the Perseverance rover revealed colourful patches on the surface of Cheyava Falls.
These so-called ‘leopard spots’ turned out to be mineral clusters formed at reaction fronts – boundaries where chemical exchanges once took place.
Two minerals in particular stood out: vivianite, an iron phosphate commonly linked with decaying organic matter on Earth, and greigite, an iron sulfide sometimes produced by microbes.
Their presence together hints at ancient electron-transfer reactions, a process many microbes use to generate energy.
Although such minerals can also form through non-biological processes, the surrounding rocks show no signs of extreme heat or acidity, conditions that would normally explain their abiotic origin.
Young rocks, old questions
One of the most surprising aspects of this discovery is timing. The rocks studied at Bright Angel are relatively young compared to other Martian sediments Perseverance has examined.
Previously, scientists assumed any evidence of life on Mars would be preserved only in much older formations.
This finding suggests that Mars may have remained habitable far later in its history than once thought.
It also raises the possibility that earlier evidence of life on Mars could be harder to detect, hidden in subtler chemical signatures within older rock layers.
The next step in the search for life on Mars
While the mineral patterns in Sapphire Canyon offer tantalising hints, scientists stress caution. Abiotic processes could still explain the findings, and extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
NASA’s team is using strict scientific frameworks, such as the CoLD scale and Standards of Evidence, to evaluate how much confidence to place in these results.
Ultimately, the most definitive answers may come when samples collected by Perseverance are returned to Earth for in-depth laboratory study – a mission currently in planning stages.
A turning point in Mars exploration
The discovery underscores why Perseverance’s mission is so critical. Every drilled core, every mineral scan, and every image adds new pieces to the puzzle of whether Mars ever hosted life.
If Sapphire Canyon’s potential biosignatures are confirmed, it would not only reshape our understanding of the Red Planet but also expand the timeline for when life could have thrived there.
For now, the search continues, but this discovery marks one of the most compelling clues yet in humanity’s quest to answer the age-old question: Are we alone?