NASA’s Mars Rover Scopes Out ‘Tantalizing’ Bedrock Specimen For Evidence Of Life
Mars holds secrets that scientists have been trying to uncover in hopes its past may answer questions about the future. To peek behind the curtains of the long and complicated history of the Red Planet, NASA has been sending out Perseverance Rover out into Yori Pass, down in a river delta region of the Jezero Crater, to scour for rock samples that could hold evidence of ancient life.
Perseverance first touched down in the Jezero Crater in February of 2021, and it has since been exploring the site. Since its mission began, it has collected 14 rock cores and an atmospheric sample that the rover has stored within its belly for safekeeping.
This delta, in particular, is estimated to have been formed 3.5 billion years ago at the convergence of a Martian river and a lake.
Scientists back on Earth were first alerted to the importance of the site after the wheeled explorer stumbled upon a sample of rock that resembled sandstone back in July. This is an important find as these fine-grained specimens are thought to have been carried by the water in the delta before settling. As such, they have a higher chance of preserving evidence of life due to a higher concentration of clay materials, which protect it from solar radiation.
“The feature is so tantalizing to the scientists because it is sandstone, which is composed of fine grains that have been carried from elsewhere by water before settling and forming stone,” says the space agency.
Do I geek out about cool-looking sandstone? You bet.
— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) November 17, 2022
A shallow scouring with my drill’s abrasion bit shows this rock has veins of lighter material inside. Could it hold clues about ancient life? Time for more #SamplingMars.
More on “Yori Pass”: https://t.co/raefWPc9JZ pic.twitter.com/glecOQ49wk
After Perseverance found the rock, it used an abrasion tool to clean it up and unearthed veins of lighter material. The discovery had scientists wondering if life could survive within this specimen.
The researchers hope that Perseverance will also be able to uncover more biosignatures—any element or evidence that could allude to signs of ancient life—in Yori Pass. However, they won’t be able to truly discover its secrets until it’s back on Earth and in the hands of the research team, which is where NASA’s planned Mars Sample Return mission comes in to collect the rocks and bring them back to Earth.
[via CNET and NASA, images via NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover]
