Overview

• Peer‑reviewed results in Nature detail the 'Sapphire Canyon' core as a potential biosignature, with PIXL and SHERLOC mapping 'leopard spot' reaction fronts enriched in vivianite, greigite and organic carbon.
• Study authors and outside experts stress that rover instruments cannot directly detect life and that non‑biological formation routes remain plausible.
• The core was drilled in July 2024 from the Cheyava Falls outcrop in the Bright Angel formation along the ancient Neretva Vallis channel inside Jezero crater.
• NASA leaders, including acting administrator Sean Duffy, described the finding as the clearest sign yet of ancient life on Mars, characterizing it as a compelling but unproven candidate.
• Confirmation depends on Mars Sample Return, with NASA evaluating lower‑cost alternatives that could target returns in roughly 2035–2039, as independent reviews warn of costs up to $11 billion and possible timelines near 2040.