NASA’s Mars rover finds evidence of potential fossilized life on the Red Planet
A peculiar leopard- spotted rock found near an ancient riverbed in Mars’ Jezero crater contains clues of ancient life, NASA said. The rock, nicknamed Chevaya Falls, has signs of chemistry that could have supported ancient microbes.
The Perseverance rover discovered the rock along the northern bank of Neretva Vallis, a dried-up river that once flowed into Jezero Crater. Analysis revealed veiny sedimentary material with organic compounds, evidence of water movement, and leopard-like spots from chemical reactions that could have been used by ancient microbes.
“This is a big surprise,” said astrobiologist David Flannery. “On Earth, these types of features in rocks are often associated with the fossilized record of microbes living in the subsurface.”
The rover has been searching for signs of ancient life on Mars since it arrived on the planet. Scans conducted by the SHERLOC instrument showed that the rock contained carbon-based molecules and reddish haematite with spots of iron and phosphate.
It’s still unclear whether the carbon found within belonged to ancient life or was produced by non-biological processes. The researchers are unsure how the rock formed, but it contains evidence of water, necessary for life, and chemical reactions that microbial life could use as an energy source.
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Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/mars/nasa-mars-rover-finds-first-compelling-detection-of-potential-fossilized-life-on-the-red-planet