NASA’s latest discovery on Mars reveals a significant indication of past life on the planet. Dean Duffy, the newly appointed NASA administrator, unveiled that a sample named “Sapphire Canyon,” retrieved by the Perseverance rover in July last year, presents the most compelling evidence of life on Mars. This sample was obtained from rocky outcrops near Neretva Vallis, an ancient river valley within the Jezero Crater.
The findings were disclosed by NASA officials, marking a pivotal moment in the search for life on Mars. The Perseverance rover, which touched down on Mars in 2021, has been investigating the Jezero Crater, a region that once housed a lake. The collected samples, particularly from a former river delta, are considered invaluable. Out of 43 tubes taken to Mars, 38 were used for sample collection, while the remaining five served as “witness tubes” to monitor the sampling system’s cleanliness throughout the mission.
NASA stated that the primary objective of the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover mission is to seek evidence of ancient microbial life to enhance the understanding of Mars’ past habitability. The rover is acquiring core samples of Martian rock and regolith for potential retrieval by a future mission to Earth for detailed analysis.
Images transmitted back to Earth by the rover depict remnants of crystalline solids from past water flows on Mars. Scientists presented the groundbreaking discovery of life traces after three decades of research on the planet. These findings, verified through a rigorous peer-review process, suggest a probable biological origin of the samples.
Joel Hurowitz, a scientist involved in the project, highlighted small yet significant indicators found in the crater that strongly imply the existence of ancient life on Mars billions of years ago. This revelation marks a substantial milestone in the exploration of Mars and the quest for understanding its past.
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