Mars rocks may provide the definitive response to the age-old question: Are we alone in the universe?
In the vast expanse of the Martian landscape, the six-wheeled Perseverance rover continues its mission to search for signs of ancient life and understand the planet's history. Since landing on the crater floor of Jezero in February 2021, Perseverance has been making its way up the crater walls, exploring significant geological formations that could shed light on Mars' past.
One such region is the margin carbonate unit, a part of Jezero's ancient river delta. Scientists hypothesize that this area could contain valuable information about the range of environments that existed on ancient Mars. The rover has taken three core samples from this region, two of which are sedimentary, while the other is silica-cemented carbonate.
The "bathtub ring" carbonate sample (sample 23), found along the crater rim, shows deposits of minerals called carbonates, possibly indicating an ancient beach deposit. Another promising site is the delta fan (samples 12-13), explored by Perseverance in 2022, which may contain muddy horizons with potential for preserving organics and fossilized ancient microbial life.
The Cheyava Falls sample (sample 25), collected in July 2024, shows "leopard spots" and strong evidence of organic molecules, the building blocks for life. The Silver Mountain sample, taken from the crater rim in January 2025, is likely older than the samples taken in Jezero Crater, making it crucial for understanding the development of Jezero Crater and Mars, as well as dating Mars' geological history.
The institution responsible for this groundbreaking mission is NASA, which is currently working on the Mars Sample Return project. The project aims to bring back the samples collected by the Perseverance rover, providing a repository for future generations to keep learning about Mars for decades and generations to come. However, due to rising costs, the timeline for the return mission has shifted from the early 2030s to the 2040s, and NASA is currently searching for more cost-effective and faster alternatives.
Meanwhile, the rover continues its exploration, collecting rocks to understand Mars' history, its comparison to Earth, and how life may have evolved. The Mars rocks, if returned, would be priceless-scientifically speaking, offering insights that are just not possible from remote analyses by spacecraft. As of this writing, Perseverance has collected and stored 21 tubes in its belly, including two "witness tubes" to help scientists filter out any Earth contaminants from the samples.
Sandra Siljeström, an astrobiologist at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, emphasizes the importance of context in understanding Mars' geological history. She is part of the Mars Perseverance science team, working alongside principal scientist Meenakshi Wadhwa from Arizona State University.
One question that still remains unanswered is why Mars' internal plumbing mysteriously shut off around three or four billion years ago, resulting in the loss of its protective magnetic field. Understanding this could provide crucial insights into the planet's history and potentially the emergence of life.
The mission to return Mars samples to Earth is called Mars Sample Return, and while the exact timeline is still uncertain, the scientific community eagerly awaits the day when these priceless Martian rocks will be analysed in Earth's laboratories, revealing secrets about our neighbouring planet that could change our understanding of the universe.
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