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Collected sample: NASA's Perseverance rover gathered rock samples in Mars's Jezero Crater from an area called the Bright Angel formation, including a rock nicknamed 'Cheyava Falls'
Biosignatures detected: A sample known as 'Sapphire Canyon' shows potential biosignatures, chemical signs that could originate from biological activity
Rock composition: The rocks are sedimentary (clay and silt) and rich in organic carbon, sulphur, oxidised iron and phosphorus.
Mineral indicators: Two iron-rich minerals, vivianite and greigite, were found. Both can be associated with microbial activity when found on Earth
Abiotic possibility: Although these minerals are promising, they can also form through non‐biological processes (e.g. inorganic chemistry under certain conditions), so the biological origin is not confirmed
Environmental conditions: The studied rocks do not show indications of high heat or strongly acidic conditions, making non-biological origins less likely in this case
Game changer? The find comes from relatively young sediment compared to other, older rock formations, suggesting Mars may have remained habitable later into its history than previously thought
Scientific process: Results are peer-reviewed (published in Nature) and data have been shared with the scientific community so further confirmation of a biological origin can be pursued
Get the full story in our news coverage of the Perseverance rover's biosignature discovery at Cheyava Falls
