New clues from Jezero: Perseverance finds fresh, surprising signs that Mars was once habitable
Today, researchers reported a cluster of new findings from NASA’s Perseverance rover that deepen our view of Mars as a place that once could have supported life. The results span three related stories: a set of mineral and organic clues in a light-toned outcrop called Bright Angel, a shiny material that triggered a rover instrument and pointed to an unexpected chemistry, and a long-standing mystery mineral finally identified as a ferric hydroxysulfate formed by heat and water. Taken together, the discoveries sketch a clearer picture of wet, energetic environments in Jezero Crater that are prime targets in the search for ancient life.
