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We Discovered Life on Mars, Here’s How
- Abhay Jain
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Summarised By: Abhay Jain
Research Paper: Hurowitz, Joel A., et al. “Redox-Driven Mineral and Organic Associations in Jezero Crater, Mars.”
Nature, vol. 645, no. 8080, Nature Publishing Group, Sept. 2025, pp. 332–40,
Astronaut on Mars
Mars has the potential to serve as the next step in humanity’s advancement. Whether it is the dream of spacious land or the possibility of a do-over of the destruction we have caused, Mars has certainly caught our attention. With newfound evidence, it is almost certain that life previously existed on Mars, and humanity’s dream for a fresh start may be fulfilled.
The Perseverance Rover, built by NASA, is a rover designed to bring handpicked Martian samples for investigation of possible past life and habitability to earth. This rover sampled igneous and sedimentary rocks within an area known as Jezero Crater for possible traces of life, and analysed the rocks’ chemical compositions and features. A few mudstones in the Bright Angel Geological Formation in Jezero Crater contained small structures that indicated a decomposition reaction of iron, phosphate, and sulfur at a low temperature. NASA (through trial and error), is looking for the exact reaction that produces the same results; they state that highly precise equipment can be used to determine the origins and nature of the rocks once brought to Earth. The Bright Angel Formation has three major landmarks: Chevaya Falls, Apollo Temple, and Sapphire Canyon. When scientists tried to find a rock targeting all three of these landmarks, they discovered samples with a red-to-tan gradient that were thinly layered, showing signs of displacement from their original orientation. X-ray analysis in the Bright Angel Formation revealed high levels of silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃), and ferric oxide (Fe₂O₃). These minerals suggest Mars once had relatively mild, watery conditions, consistent with conditions for life on Earth. Next, a mineral called olivine (Mg,Fe)₂SiO₄ was found to be in contact with mudstone, yet it displayed no signs of abrasion or effect, implying that the olivine was transported by wind or water, thereby suggesting that Mars used to be habitable. No organic matter was traced on the olivine; however, organic-matter-bearing fluorescence was observed on
it. Poppy-seed-shaped masses in Bright Angel mudstone displayed chemical processes involving iron, phosphorus, and zinc. Their distinct composition and color exhibit signs of fluid activity and precipitation. These features provide important clues about Mars’s past environment. More evidence for water activity on Mars is seen in abrasion in the Apollo Temple region, where analysis reveals abundant ferric phosphate masses. The color properties of these masses are highly distinct: colorless during the day and tan-orange at night. Moreover, these properties are consistent with the accumulation of a specific water-saturated iron phosphate, providing yet another piece of evidence to support the ever-growing theory of current and/or previous life on Mars. The Bright Angel mudstones on Mars contain tiny pores referred to as “leopard spots,” which formed in place within the rock. These are rich in iron and phosphorus, resembling minerals like vivianite (Fe₃(PO₄)₂·8H₂O) that usually develop in wet, low-oxygen environments. Their presence shows that water once moved through these rocks in multiple stages, leaving behind chemical traces. This implies that Bright Angel could have been a habitable environment. On Earth, similar nodules form where organic matter breaks
down, releasing phosphorus that reacts with iron; this further reinforces the possibility of past life on Mars.
Finally, scientists believe that this is the primary and most important area to look for biosignatures and ardently support that this should be one of the few samples sent back to Earth.In essence, the Perseverance Rover on Mars recently found traces of life in “leopard spots” located in the Bright Angel Formation, Jezero Crater. These spots are present in mudstones and contain chemicals consistent with a specific redox reaction on Earth that occurs in the presence of organisms and a water-filled habitat. This leads scientists to believe that Mars, in the past, could have preserved life in anoxic conditions and contributes to the argument for extraterrestrial life in Xenology.
Research Paper on Life on Mars & Works Cited
Hurowitz, Joel A., et al.
“Redox-Driven Mineral and Organic Associations in Jezero Crater, Mars.
” Nature,
vol. 645, no. 8080, Nature Publishing Group, Sept. 2025, pp. 332–40,
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