Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, NASA’s Perseverance rover is specifically designed to explore for potential signs of ancient life, a key mission objective.
Perseverance landed in Jezero Crater because it holds ancient muds and sediments where a river once flowed into a lake over 3 billion years ago. While it’s uncertain if life ever existed in this ancient lake, Perseverance might uncover evidence of it.
One potential find could be large, well-preserved fossils of microbial colonies, similar to Earth’s ancient “stromatolites” formed by sunlight-harnessing bacteria along old shorelines. These fossils could be visible to the rover’s cameras and might also show chemical signs of past life detectable by the rover’s spectroscopic tools.
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However, even the most promising findings would need microscopic examination back on Earth to confirm their biological origin, as natural geological processes can create pseudo-fossils that mimic true biological remnants. Thus, Perseverance is not just searching but also collecting samples for a future return mission planned with the European Space Agency (ESA). Around 30 specimens, including the intriguing “Comet Geyser” sample from Bunsen Peak—a rock formation near the crater’s edge—will hopefully be brought back to Earth.
This Bunsen Peak sample, dominated by carbonate minerals similar to Earth’s limestone and chalk, and bonded with pure silica, is particularly exciting. Carbonates might have formed under habitable conditions, possibly precipitated from the ancient lake water, suggesting a potential for life. The rarity of carbonate on Mars, despite abundant carbon dioxide, remains a puzzle that the returned samples could help solve.
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Ancient sedimentary carbonates on Earth often contain stromatolites or other microbial fossils. Although Perseverance has not found definitive stromatolites, the fine grain size of the “Comet Geyser” sample and its silica cement could enhance the preservation of delicate fossils and organic material.
These efforts align with guidelines from a scientific paper I co-authored, recommending the sampling of fine-grained, silica-cemented rocks. However, NASA’s Mars sample return plans have faced criticism for perceived risks and high costs, leading to budget cuts and job losses at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Despite these challenges, Mars sample return is a top priority for NASA and the global planetary science community. The findings from Perseverance could revolutionize our understanding of life in the universe and fuel research for decades, providing a fresh perspective on Mars. The hope is that NASA and the U.S. government will continue to support this ambitious endeavor, true to the spirit of the rover’s name—perseverance.
