NASA's Perseverance Rover Collects Oldest Mars Sample Yet with Unique Textures

The 'Silver Mountain' sample, rich in low-calcium pyroxene, offers new insights into Mars' geological history and ancient environment.

Perseverance rover's 26th sample, named 'Silver Mountain,' is the oldest rock collected so far, dating back to the Noachian epoch, 3.7 to 4.1 billion years ago.
The sample, taken from the Shallow Bay site in Jezero Crater, features textures described by NASA as 'unlike anything we've seen before.'
The rock is abundant in low-calcium pyroxene, a mineral linked to igneous processes, and could provide clues about Mars' early crust formation.
Scientists believe the region's rocks, including serpentine-bearing formations, may have formed from magma interacting with water, hinting at ancient environmental conditions.
The 'Silver Mountain' sample will be part of the Mars Sample Return mission, which aims to bring Martian material to Earth for detailed analysis, though the mission's timeline has faced delays.