Overview

• NASA’s Mars account said on September 10 that a Perseverance-collected rock contains a potential biosignature and is the best candidate so far for evidence of ancient microbial life.
• The sample shows leopard-spot textures with vivianite and greigite, a pairing the team says could be consistent with past microbial activity.
• Lead researcher Joel Hurowitz cautions that non-biological processes remain plausible explanations for the minerals and patterns observed.
• Researchers stress that returning sealed samples to Earth is essential for definitive testing, with mission plans underway but facing funding and logistical challenges.
• The finding is fueling broader interest in Martian materials, reflected in reports of high-priced sales of documented Mars fragments.