Was There Ancient Life on Mars?

Mars has always been an interesting planet as it is known for its potential life expectancy and its growing popularity. Mars has been researched by NASA for over 60 years and yet they still don’t know if there was life on Mars or if it’s even able to hold life. There is currently tons of suspicion for life on Mars right now, but is it true?

NASA’s Perseverance Rover has been on Mars since the launching in July of 2020. That singular rover has been exploring Mars on its own, singing birthday songs and trying to finish its mission of collecting over two dozen samples. The Perseverance collected its first sample in September of 2021. So far, Perseverance has collected 33 samples that will soon be on Earth’s surface for the first time. The return of the Perseverance is said to be 2035-2039.

The latest sample was found in a dried up waterbed which shows promising results of old life on Mars. There isn’t necessarily a confirmation of life on Mars but there is still a clear start for our future. More tests and inputs are very much needed in order to confirm that there was life on Mars before. The sample is currently labeled as ‘Sapphire Canyon’ which is one of the 27 rock samples. Most rocks were found with clay or silt in them, a sign of past microbial life, which contain phosphorus, sulfur, and organic carbon. There are many signs of past life on Mars but definitely nothing for the present. 

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.