Did NASA announce life on Mars? NASA’s Perseverance rover drilled a mudstone core showing minerals and textures, vivianite and greigite, that, on Earth, are often associated with microbial activity.
The study describes minerals and textures that – on Earth – are often linked to microbial activity. At the same time, the authors stress that nonbiological chemistry could also explain the signals.
“This finding by Perseverance is the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars. The identification of a potential biosignature on the Red Planet is a groundbreaking discovery, and one that will advance our understanding of Mars,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy.
“NASA’s commitment to conducting Gold Standard Science will continue as we pursue our goal of putting American boots on Mars’ rocky soil.”
The core was taken from a rock named “Chevaya Falls” in Neretva Vallis, an ancient river channel about a quarter mile wide that once fed Jezero Crater’s lake.
After drilling, Perseverance sealed the sample for possible return to Earth, where laboratory instruments can perform tests far beyond the rover’s onboard capabilities.
NASA Mars Discovery Stirs Global Excitement
The latest NASA Mars discovery comes from the “Sapphire Canyon” mudstone core collected in July 2024. The rover drilled into a rock informally named Chevaya Falls, located in the Bright Angel region of Neretva Vallis, a dried-up river channel that once fed into Jezero Crater’s lake.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy called the find “the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars.” He added that the identification of a potential biosignature “is a groundbreaking discovery, and one that will advance our understanding of Mars.”
A Special Rock with ‘Leopard Spots’
The discovery centers on a rock sample collected in July 2024 by the Perseverance rover. The rover is currently exploring a place on Mars called Jezero Crater, which scientists believe was once a large lake. This particular rock, nicknamed “Cheyava Falls,” was found in an ancient riverbed.
What made this rock so special were its unique features. It had small, dark specks and larger, ringed spots that looked like a leopard’s pattern. Scientists have been studying this rock sample for over a year. Using the rover’s advanced tools, they found some amazing things inside it.
Perseverance Rover Finds Signs in Martian Mudstone
The rover drilled into a rock called “Cheyava Falls” in the Bright Angel formation. This site was once part of a river channel that carried water into the crater. Inside, scientists found fine-grained mudstone with “leopard spots” and nodules. Instruments mapped organic carbon tied to iron, sulfur, and phosphate.
Two key minerals were identified. Vivianite, a blue-green iron phosphate, often forms when microbes reduce iron. Greigite, an iron sulfide, is linked to bacteria in oxygen-poor muds. Together, these minerals appear in a pattern seen in some Earth sediments shaped by microbes.
According to Reuters, researchers note these features could still form without life. Low temperatures preserved delicate textures, making them compatible with life conditions but not proof.
Potential biosignature on Mars: confirmed. ✔️
— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) September 10, 2025
After a year of scientific review, we are more sure than ever that our Mars Perseverance's 'Sapphire Canyon' sample could contain signs of ancient microbial life. Learn more about the discovery: https://t.co/RMO2UFfnjv pic.twitter.com/IJn8r6udv3
Minerals and Molecules Point to Life
The analysis of the rock revealed two special minerals: vivianite and greigite. On Earth, these minerals often form in watery places when tiny living things called microbes are active. They are byproducts of chemical reactions that microbes use to get energy. The rock also had organic molecules, which are the building blocks of life, like carbon.
The combination of these minerals and organic molecules in one place is what has gotten scientists so excited. While these things can sometimes form without life, the way they were arranged in the “Cheyava Falls” rock strongly suggests that microbes were involved.
The Search for a ‘Biosignature’
Scientists have long been looking for “biosignatures” on Mars. A biosignature is a feature that could have been created by life. This can be a fossil, a special chemical, or a pattern of minerals. The problem is that many of these signs can also be created by natural processes that have nothing to do with life.
This is why the finding is not yet confirmed as “proof” of life. NASA officials have said they need to do more tests. The best way to be sure is to bring the rock sample back to Earth. Here, in labs, scientists can use much more powerful tools to study the sample in detail.
Caution in NASA’s Language
Despite the excitement, NASA scientists remain cautious. They refer to the findings as a potential biosignature—a signal that may point to life but requires further analysis to rule out non-biological explanations.
The agency employs the “Confidence of Life Detection” (CoLD) scale to guide how such discoveries are communicated. According to the framework, signals must be independently verified and alternative explanations eliminated before making conclusive claims about extraterrestrial life.
The current finding sits low on that scale, marking early but promising evidence.
Implications for Mars Habitability
If the vivianite and greigite were indeed formed through microbial metabolisms, it would indicate that Mars once supported energy cycles similar to those of Earth microbes. This would extend the timeline of Mars’s habitability into an era when Jezero’s lakes and rivers were still active.
Even if the minerals are abiotic, the discovery still matters. It would show that Mars’s environment once facilitated complex chemical processes involving iron, sulfur, and phosphorus—elements essential for life.
A Long and Difficult Journey
NASA’s plan is to bring the Mars samples back to Earth in the future. However, this is a very difficult and expensive mission. It will take many years and a lot of planning. Until then, the findings from the Perseverance rover will continue to be a source of study and excitement.
The discovery also tells us something new about Mars. The “Cheyava Falls” rock is from a younger part of the Jezero Crater. This suggests that Mars might have been a good place for life for a longer time than we thought before. This opens up new ideas about where to look for life in the future.
Not proof, but potential life on Mars
“It’s not life itself,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, stressing that this is a potential biosignature, not proof of life. The lead author echoed that caution.
“We cannot claim this is more than a potential biosignature,” said Hurowitz. Other officials also underscored the stakes and the limits.
“[But] this very well could be the clearest sign of life that we’ve ever found on Mars,” said Sean Duffy, acting NASA administrator.
Caution is not hedging for its own sake. It is how science avoids false alarms when the question is this important.
The Perseverance rover will continue its exploration, mapping out where similar features appear and collecting additional samples. NASA hopes to bring these sealed samples back to Earth within the next decade, where isotopic analysis and microtexture studies could reveal whether the signals truly represent life.
Sean Duffy emphasized NASA’s cautious approach: “Our commitment is to Gold Standard Science. This means checking every possible explanation before making extraordinary claims”, as quoted in a report by Earth.
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