NASA could have found signs of life on Mars, but there’s something wrong. It’s true there’s still no definite confirmation about this remarkable news, but Perseverance rover’s findings are the most promising until now and could answer one of the most ancient questions of humanity: Was there life on the Red Planet once? So, let’s see what NASA has to say about this ongoing topic this time.
Perseverance rover finding
The Perseverance rover, which reached Mars in 2021, is exploring an area called Jezero Crater. Billion years ago, this place was home to a huge lake with rivers.
Then, in 2024, the rover found a very special rock called ‘’Cheyava Falls’’ and when scientists analyzed it they saw organic molecules (compounds that on Earth are related to life), ancient water signs, and curious mineral patterns in the shape of spots that could have been an ideal environment for microorganisms to exist.
Despite the excitement, NASA experts were very careful. The organic molecules do not always mean there has been life, sometimes they are formed due to natural chemical processes. This is why they decided to keep investigating.
New clues on Mars
After the initial finding, NASA announced that the rover had analyzed two new areas: Sapphire Canyon and Masonic Temple. In these places, the Perseverance discovered minerals called vivianite and greigite. The most shocking thing was that they were distributed inside the rocks.
The minerals showed a pattern known as the ‘’redox cycling’’ which happens when electrons move between different chemical compounds. On Earth, this type of chemical reaction is used by many microorganisms to obtain energy.
Basically, the patterns found on Mars are similar to the ones that leave some types of bacteria on our planet.
The team was in shocked
Scientific Michael Tice, a geobiologist and astrobiologist at Texas A&M University, said the team was amazed when they first analyzed the rocks. “When the rover entered the Bright Angel area and started measuring the rocks, the team was immediately struck by how different they were from anything we had seen before,” Tice explained.
Tice added that while some chemical reactions can occur naturally, they usually require very high temperatures. But there’s no evidence of heat in these samples — which means life could be the more likely explanation.
However, to be sure, scientists need to bring these samples back to Earth for deeper study. Only in advanced laboratories can they confirm whether the rocks’ chemical signatures truly point to ancient life.
The problem is…
Even though the Perseverance took samples of the Martian floor, taking them back to Earth won’t be easy. NASA and ESA (European Spatial Agency) were thinking about a collaborative mission to do it, called Sample Retrieval Lander, to take the samples back about the year 2033.
However, there’s something that makes it difficult: U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly planning major cuts to NASA’s budget, which could delay or even cancel the mission entirely. On Earth, scientists could:
- Analyze the isotopic composition of the organic materials.
- Examine the tiny minerals in extreme detail.
- Search for microfossils, if any exist.
- Measure the maximum temperatures the rocks have ever experienced.
All of this could finally answer whether the possible biosignatures (signs of life) found on Mars are biological or purely geological.
Do we have an answer?
For now, NASA scientists are excited but cautious. The new data might be the strongest clue yet that Mars once hosted life — but it’s not proof.
Until then, Perseverance continues to explore, sending back images and data from the Martian surface. Every rock it studies brings us one step closer to understanding whether the red planet was once alive.
The question that has fascinated humans for centuries — “Are we alone?” — might finally have an answer buried in the dust of Mars.