The scientists at NASA and MIT have decided to bring to Earth seven rock samples in which minerals have been found that were said to be formed when there is water present in a specific area on Mars.
These rock samples were found in the “fan front” of Mars’ Jezero Crater and it suggests that such rocks were either formed in watery environments or deposited by water which underlines the presence of water in the crater’s past.
In 2022, the seven samples were collected by the Perseverance rover when it was exploring the western slope of the crater where it was suspected by the scientists that some rocks were present which were likely to have originated from an ancient lake which had since dried up.
Signs of life in Martian rocks?
The Perseverance science team looked into the images and chemical data of the rover and confirmed that the rocks actually have signs of water.
On the basis of the data, the theory that Jezero Crater was at one point watery and had a habitable environment has also been strengthened.
The minerals present in the rocks give the best opportunity for scientists to search for signs of ancient Martian life.
Professor of geobiology in MIT’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) and study’s lead author Tanja Bosak said, “These rocks confirm the presence, at least temporarily, of habitable environments on Mars.”
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“What we’ve found is that indeed there was a lot of water activity. For how long, we don’t know, but certainly for long enough to create these big sedimentary deposits,” he added.
According to the scientists, some of these samples were likely deposited in the ancient lake nearly 3.5 billion years ago.
Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at MIT and co-author Benjamin Weiss said, “These are the oldest rocks that may have been deposited by water that we’ve ever laid hands or rover arms on.”
“That’s exciting, because it means these are the most promising rocks that may have preserved fossils and signatures of life,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)