On September 10, 2025, NASA published an article that surprised many enthusiasts with a possible sign of life on Mars. Discover the details of this discovery.
The Mars rover Perseverance managed to collect a rock sample that shows signs of microbial life. These signs are scientifically called biosignatures and may have a biological origin.
After analyzing the rocks where this sample was collected, scientists observed a composition quite similar to that of rocks made of silt and clay. A promising fact is that, at least on Earth, these types of rocks often harbor microbial life.
According to scientist Joel Hurowitz, these compounds are a rich source of energy for microbial metabolism.
The sample was obtained by the rover while exploring the Cheyava Falls region. At first, the spots on this rock caught their attention, as they could be an indicator that at some point microbial life consumed the compounds in the rock. These spots were nicknamed leopard spots.
It’s important to clarify that finding these patterns doesn’t always indicate life with 100% certainty. They can also form without biological reactions under circumstances such as acidic environments, high temperatures, or the bonding of organic compounds.
One curious fact that impressed scientists was the discovery of the sample in younger rocks, against all expectations. It had been assumed that possible signs of microbial life would be associated with older rocks. This suggests that if Mars ever hosted life, it may have done so for a longer period of time than we previously thought.
So, has it been 100% confirmed that there is life on Mars?
No. Although the biosignatures are very promising and, in fact, the closest indication of life we’ve found so far, more studies are still needed to confirm whether the sample is of biological origin.
If it turns out that the origins are biological, then we could conclude that billions of years ago, the chemical reactions present in this rock supported microbial life.
To be sure that the sample really contains life, it will have to go through a rigorous process of experiments and pass all 7 levels of the CoLD scale. As of now, the sample is at level 3 of the scale, where scientists are working to rule out the possibility that it is of abiotic origin.
Learn everything about Mars in our special video dedicated to the Red Planet. If you’re interested in reading the official articles published by NASA, in the video description you’ll find a link to our blog post with all the references used for this video.
👉 Check out more facts about Mars
📚 Data source:
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-says-mars-rover-discovered-potential-biosignature-last-year/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09413-0
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/
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