Curiosity investigates how rocks on Mars could preserve signs of life

Photo caption: A self-portrait of NASA’s Curiosity rover taken on Sol 2082 (June 15, 2018). A Martian dust storm has reduced sunlight and visibility at the rover’s location in Gale Crater. NASA/JPL-Caltech. Article by Georgina Torbet. Digital Trends – July 11, 2021.

Trying to find evidence of life on Mars isn’t a simple matter. If there ever was life on Mars, it was likely microbial and lived millions of years ago. That means that to find evidence of its existence, rovers like Perseverance and Curiosity have to look for clues hidden in rock samples.

But not all rocks retain indications of life, as certain minerals preserve these clues better than others. Now, a new study using data from the Curiosity rover has shed light on what indicators of life have been preserved or destroyed through the history of Mars. […]

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