Mars Soil Samples Confirm the Planet Once Had Water
Initial analysis of rock fragments from Mars' Jezero Crater confirms that water existed there for an extended period, suggesting the potential for ancient microbial life.
These samples may even contain traces of ancient life.
The very first Martian soil samples collected by the Perseverance rover are already enabling scientists to make groundbreaking discoveries. Preliminary examination of rock fragments confirms that water persisted in Jezero Crater—the collection site—for a prolonged duration, spanning tens of thousands to possibly millions of years. This raises the possibility that microorganisms could have thrived in the Martian waters.
While the presence of water in this crater was previously suspected, data was insufficient to rule out alternative explanations. For example, the crater might have been temporarily filled with groundwater following an asteroid impact, with the water evaporating within a few decades. However, geological changes in the rock now confirm that the Martian lake existed far longer than previously thought.
Moreover, the samples contain salts formed as water flowed through the rock. The crystals within these salts may have preserved remnants of water and even potential biosignatures of past life.
Currently, the samples are sealed in titanium tubes and stored on the rover. Perseverance will later deposit these tubes on the Martian surface, allowing a future mission to retrieve and transport them back to Earth for more detailed analysis.
Both samples were extracted from a single rock in Jezero Crater. Sample collection will continue in the South Séítah region, where the rock is believed to be older. However, Perseverance will only resume gathering samples after a few weeks due to an upcoming solar conjunction, which temporarily halts all missions.
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