NASA announced a new discovery that could indicate the potential sign of ancient life on Mars. NASA's Perseverance rover discovered spots similar to leopard patterns on a rock named Cheyava Falls in Mars' Jezero Crater.

These spots provide us with very strong clues that microscopic life may have existed on Mars millions of years ago. “This very well could be the clearest sign of life that we've ever found on Mars,” said mission officials. Of course, this is not yet definitive proof of life. That's why scientists are using the term “potential bio sign.”

What exactly did NASA find in this rock, and why is it such an exciting discovery?

The Perseverance rover landed on Mars in 2021 and was designed and sent specifically to make such a discovery. Scientists chose the landing site, Jezero Crater, because it is believed that billions of years ago there was a large lake in this region. In fact, when examining the map published by NASA, the river channels that fed Jezero Crater are clearly visible in this area.

The valley where these patterns were discovered on a rock called Cheyava Falls is thought to have been filled with water in the past and carved by water flowing into Jezero Crater.

The scientific instruments on the rover discovered clay and silt on the rocks in this valley. These are materials that preserve the presence of microorganisms on Earth.

Scientists noticed interesting patterns on this rock, which were named “leopard spots” and “poppy seeds.” At the same time, large white veins run across this rock, containing calcium sulfate mineral. This discovery is clear evidence that water once flowed over this rock.

What makes this latest discovery different?

Similar traces, white on the inside and black on the outside, resembling a leopard pattern were found on the discovered rock. Upon this discovery, scientists activated a device called “Sherloc” on the Perseverance rover. This device detected organic carbon molecules on the rock, which are the building blocks of life.

Perseverance has collected more than 30 samples so far, but bringing them back requires a robotic landing craft, a launch rocket from Mars, and an orbital vehicle.

The timeline for returning the samples remains uncertain

NASA is currently working on two different options: The first is to design a smaller mission using the “sky crane” technology that landed Curiosity and Perseverance.

The second is to use heavy landing vehicles from private companies such as SpaceX or Blue Origin. In either case, the samples are expected to arrive on Earth no earlier than 2035 and no later than 2039.