NASA Announces Evidence of Ancient Life on Mars After Perseverance Rover Discovery

NASA has revealed new evidence that may point to ancient life on Mars. The Perseverance rover found unusual minerals and organic compounds inside rocks in the Jezero Crater. These features are linked to microbial activity on Earth. The discovery was made public on September 15, 2025.

Scientists stress this is not proof of life, but they say it is the strongest signal yet. The findings were published in the journal Nature. Officials explained that only detailed lab work on returned samples can confirm the origin.

Perseverance Rover Finds Signs in Martian Mudstone

The rover drilled into a rock called “Cheyava Falls” in the Bright Angel formation. This site was once part of a river channel that carried water into the crater. Inside, scientists found fine-grained mudstone with “leopard spots” and nodules. Instruments mapped organic carbon tied to iron, sulfur, and phosphate.

Two key minerals were identified. Vivianite, a blue-green iron phosphate, often forms when microbes reduce iron. Greigite, an iron sulfide, is linked to bacteria in oxygen-poor muds. Together, these minerals appear in a pattern seen in some Earth sediments shaped by microbes.

According to Reuters, researchers note these features could still form without life. Low temperatures preserved delicate textures, making them compatible with life conditions but not proof.

Image: earth.com

What This Means for the Search for Life

NASA uses the CoLD scale, or Confidence of Life Detection, to stage discoveries. This Mars find ranks early on the scale. It shows potential biosignatures but requires stronger testing.

Scientists plan to bring the drilled samples back to Earth. There, labs can test isotopes and carbon structures that reveal if life once existed. The Perseverance rover will continue mapping the Bright Angel outcrops to guide future study.

Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy called it the closest step yet toward proving life on Mars. Dr. Nicky Fox of NASA said this could be the clearest sign ever found but urged caution.

This is a historic milestone. NASA’s discovery does not confirm life on Mars, but it brings us closer than ever before.

Info at your fingertips-

Q1: Did NASA confirm life on Mars?

No. NASA found potential biosignatures but not direct proof. More testing on Earth samples is needed.

Q2: What did the Perseverance rover discover?

The rover found vivianite, greigite, organic carbon, and textures in mudstone that resemble microbial traces.

Q3: Where were the samples taken from?

The rover drilled in the Bright Angel formation within Neretva Vallis, a river channel that once fed Jezero Crater.

Q4: Why are vivianite and greigite important?

On Earth, they often form through microbial activity in wet, oxygen-poor settings. Their presence on Mars hints at similar processes.

Q5: When will we know for sure if life existed on Mars?

Scientists say only a sample return mission can confirm. NASA’s return mission is planned but faces funding delays.