NASA's Perseverance finds water-altered igneous rocks at Jezero Crater

Technology Sep 22, 2026

NASA's Perseverance rover just found water-altered rocks in Jezero Crater, hinting that Mars had a much more interesting environmental history than we thought.

Instead of the usual sedimentary rocks, the rover discovered igneous rocks, formed from magma, that were later changed by water along what used to be a lakeshore.

Perseverance's SuperCam mapped 3 water alterations

By checking out over 185 rock spots with its SuperCam, Perseverance uncovered at least three separate times when water shaped these rocks.

First, carbon-dioxide-rich groundwater reacted with minerals to form carbonates.

Next, waters from an ancient lake left their mark.

Finally, hotter water, probably linked to volcanic activity, created veins of new minerals.