The Brief

A mudstone sample from Jezero Crater shows textures and minerals that on Earth often form through microbial activity.

Scientists caution that nonbiological processes could also explain the features, and proof will require Earth-based lab testing.

NASA’s sample return mission faces funding and schedule hurdles, leaving the timing of further analysis uncertain.

NASA may have found its most compelling evidence yet that Mars once supported life. A sample collected by the Perseverance rover shows chemical signatures and textures resembling those left behind by microbes on Earth.

The discovery does not confirm that Mars once hosted living organisms, but scientists say it is the clearest lead so far. The findings underscore both the promise and the challenge of unraveling the Red P

See Full Page