NasaPerseverance Rover has discovered mysterious mudstones March“Jezero Crater which contain organic carbon and strange mineral textures.
These characteristics, possibly shaped by redox reactions similar to those supplied by microbes on earth, can represent potential biosignatures.
Perseverance Rover discovers the mudstones rich in wealth
The images and measures of the NASA perseverance rover indicate that the rocks recently identified in Jezero Crater are made up of mudstones containing organic carbon. According to a study published in NatureThese rocks have undergone chemical reactions that have produced colorful and unusual textures, which can represent possible biosignatures.
Research, led by Joel Hurowitz, PHD, an associate professor of the Geosciences department of Stony Brook University, is based on studies carried out since the Rover approached in 2021. The work focuses on the reconstruction of early geological history and the collection of samples that could possibly be transported to the ground.
Geological supercy of the Bright Angel training
When perseverance reached the western edge of the Jezero crater, he examined distinct Mudstone outcrops in the formation of Bright Angel. The scientific team of March 2020 carried out an in -depth geological, petrographic and geochemical analysis, discovering carbon materials as well as minerals such as ferrous iron phosphate and iron sulfide.
Although researchers do not announce the discovery of fossilized Martian life, they note that the rocks display characteristics that could have been shaped by living organisms – which scientists call potential biosignatures. A potential biosignature is all element, composed, structure or diagram that could have come from past biological activity, but which could also occur lifeless. The team stresses that other evidence is necessary before determining whether the microbes played a role in the formation of the textures observed in these mudstones.
A window on the old March environment
“These mudstones provide information on the surface environmental conditions of March both hundreds of millions of years after the formation of the planet, and therefore they can be considered an excellent recording of the planetary environment and habitability during this period,” explains Hurowitz, who was involved in research on Mars Rover since he was a graduate student at the University of Stony Brook in 2004.
“We will have to conduct wider research on living and non-alive processes that will help us better understand the conditions in which the collection of minerals and organic phases in Bright Angel training has formed,” he explains.
Detangle the biological origins vs abiotic
More specifically, the researchers concluded the following during their analyzes:
- The organic carbon detected seems to have participated in post-expositional redox reactions which produced the minerals of iron and iron sulfide phosphate. And these reactions occurred in a sedimentary rock environment at low temperature. Redox reactions are a type of chemical reaction, all living beings derive from energy and in sedimentary environments at low temperature on earth, these redox reactions are commonly motivated by microbial life.
- A review of the different paths through which redox reactions that involve organic matter can produce the observed continuation of iron, sulfur and phosphorus minerals reveal that abiotic (non -biological) and biological processes can explain the unique characteristics observed in the formation of brilliant angel.
- Their observations in the formation of the brilliant angels question certain aspects of a purely abiotic explanation, and therefore the researchers suggest that iron and sulfur and phosphorus nodules and reaction fronts should be considered as a potential biosignature.
Following steps: Unlock secrets on earth
Continuous research will be carried out to assess the characteristics of rocks and mudstone. For the moment, the researchers finally conclude that the analysis of the basic sample collected from this unit using high sensitivity instrumentation on earth will allow the necessary measures to determine the origin of minerals, organic matter and textures it contains. »»
Explore further: NASA Perseverance Rover disorder can be the first sign of Mars life
Reference: “Mineral and organic associations led by Redox in Jezero Crater, Mars” by Joel A. Hurowitz, MM Tice, Ac Allwood, Ml Cable, Kp Hand, Ae Murphy, K. Uckert, JF Bell III, T. Bosak, AP Broz, E. Clavé, A. Cousin, S. Davidoff, E. Dehouck Hamran, K. Hickman-Lewis, Jr Johnson, AJ Jones, MWM Jones, PS Jørgesen, Lc Kah, H. Kalucha, TV Kizovski, from Klevang, Y. Liu, FM McCubbin, El Moreland, G. Paar, Kl Siebach, S. Siljeström, Ji Simon, A. Steele, NJ Tosca, Ah Treiman, SJ Vanbommel, La Wade, BP Weiss, RC Wiens, Kh Williford, R. Barnes, PA Barr, A. Becchtold, P. Beck, K. Benzarara, S. Bernard, O. Beyssac, R. Bhartia, AJ, AJ. Brown, G. Caravaca, El Cardarelli, Ea Cloutis, Ag Farén, Dt Flannery, T. Fornaro, T. Fouchet, B. Garczynski, F. Goméz, Em Hausrath, CM Heirwegh, CDK Herd, Je Huggett, Jl Jørgesen, Swe, Ay Li, Jn Maki, L. Mandon, J. Martínez -frías, Ji Núñez, LP O’Neil, BJ Orenstein, N. Phelan, C. Quantin -Nataf, P. Russell, MD Schulte, E. Scheller, S. Sharma, DL Shuster, A. Srivaastava, Bv Wogsland and Zu Wolf, September 10, 2025, Nature.
Two: 10.1038 / S41586-025-09413-0
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