Perseverance discovers evidence of ancient life on Mars – rocks exhibiting unusual patterns potentially formed by organic processes.
While examining the crater’s bottom and the adjacent valleys, the rover came across sedimentary rocks with unique surface characteristics. A particularly striking instance displayed round, dark-colored marks set against light mudstone. The researchers dubbed this pattern “leopard spots,” but there is more to uncover. Their similarity to the mineral formations observed in certain terrestrial environments implies they result from redox reactions involving sulfur, iron, and phosphorus. In a land-based context, such a reaction may stem from either abiotic chemistry or microbial processes.
The existence of these leopard spots on Martian rock is remarkable, yet investigations in this field are far from complete. While Perseverance can catalog the morphology, mineral composition, and chemistry of the local samples, ascertaining if these characteristics indicate biological activity or are a consequence of purely geochemical processes necessitates lab analyses on Earth.
In July 2024, NASA’s Perseverance rover retrieved a
