As the Perseverance rover traversed an ancient river valley in Mars ' Jezero Crater back in July 2024, it drilled into the surface and extracted a sample from a unique, striped rock called Chevaya Falls .

The rover's instruments then analyzed the sample, which is called Sapphire Canyon , and surveyed the surrounding rock.

When scientists started looking into the data, they found two types of iron-rich minerals arranged on the rock in a distinctive, spotted pattern. Both of these minerals are associated with life on Earth. One is found around decomposing organic matter on Earth, while the other is produced by certain microbes.

A team of researchers determined in a study published Sept. 10, 2025 , that the sample contains a potential biosignature – which could suggest the red pl

See Full Page