NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered rocks on Mars that suggest the planet may have had a warm, wet climate suitable for life billions of years ago. The rocks, which contain a mineral called kaolinite, form in warm, rainy environments or near hot springs – ideal conditions for life.
Geologist Roger Wiens of Purdue University analyzed the rocks using Perseverance’s laser-equipped SuperCam and found that they required relatively warm temperatures to form. This suggests that Mars may have had a climate similar to Earth’s at some point in its history.
Kaolinite is a type of mineral that forms when older rocks are broken down by liquid water, leaving behind aluminum-rich deposits. The discovery of kaolinite on Mars provides evidence that the planet may have once been warm enough to support microbial life.
The rover first noticed the pale rocks when it landed on Mars in 2021, but it wasn’t until later that a team of scientists decided to investigate them further. They found over 4,000 similar rocks scattered across the terrain and are now eager to understand the original source of these rocks.
The discovery is significant because water is essential for life, and finding evidence of a warm past on Mars suggests that microbial life may have existed there in the past. Further research will be needed to confirm this theory, but the findings provide an exciting lead in the search for life beyond Earth.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/minerals-mars-ancient-life-kaolinite-nasa-rover-2040598