US EditionNASA Says Perseverance's 'Sapphire Canyon' Sample Holds Potential Biosignature
- On July 21, 2024, NASA's Perseverance rover drilled into Cheyava Falls in Jezero Crater, Mars, and collected its 25th sample named Sapphire Canyon.
- This event followed Perseverance's exploration of Jezero Crater since February 2021, aiming to find potential signs of ancient life in clay-rich, mudstone rocks of Neretva Vallis.
- Researchers identified iron phosphate and sulfide nodules linked with organic carbon, suggesting complex low-temperature redox reactions that might indicate biological processes or non-biological chemistry.
- Lead researcher Joel Hurowitz said, "We can't go so far as to say, 'A-ha, this is proof positive of life,'" while Janice Bishop and Mario Parente highlighted the need to rule out non-biological explanations.
- NASA's Mars Sample Return program plans to retrieve these samples for Earth-based lab analysis, but budget and priorities put the mission on hold, delaying definitive life confirmation.
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NASA says a rock sample collected by its Perseverance Mars rover in Jezero Crater may contain evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars. The rover discovered a rock called Cheyava Falls in July 2024. The sample, called Sapphire Canyon, shows what scientists describe as “potential” biofissures — substances or structures that may have a biological origin but require more study. The findings were published in the journal Nature. Acting NASA Admini…
This is indicated by a stone collected by the Mars Rover "Perseverance" last year. Experts say that a biological origin of these traces would be the best explanation.
NASA researchers are on the verge of a breakthrough in a mystery that has fascinated humanity for decades: was there ever life on Mars? There used to be, is the space agency's preliminary answer after extensive research. What have NASA's space explorers discovered?
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