NASA's Perseverance detects macromolecular carbon in Jezero Crater mudstones
NASA's Perseverance rover just found some pretty interesting macromolecular carbon in the mudstones of Jezero Crater, which contains an ancient river delta.
These organic molecules could be signs of ancient life, or they might have formed through chemical reactions or meteor impacts.
Either way, it's a big clue in the search for Mars's history.
Samples needed to confirm Martian organics
The Bright Angel mudstones caught scientists' attention back in 2024 because their surface looked a lot like fossilized microbes on Earth.
Recent studies found these carbon molecules can survive harsh Martian conditions, suggesting organics were widespread billions of years ago.
To know if they're actually from living things, NASA needs to bring samples back to Earth for testing, a mission now planned for the 2030s.
China also has its own sample-return mission set for 2031.