NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover Unearths Organic Matter on Ancient River Delta

NASA's Perseverance rover was launched in 2020. It's still new compared to the Curiosity rover, but it has already made significant explorations that made scientists more curious about the life forms on Mars.

The car-sized robot has recently discovered traces of organic matter on the red planet. Scientists said that they are important indicators that could potentially point to the existence of life that once emerged on the Jezero crater.

Perseverance Rover Collects Organic Samples

The arid Martian terrain is still a mystery for the experts. Some scientists wonder if some animals or plants once dwelled on it, yet you cannot see any water there.

According to a report by Slash Gear, Mars is quite similar to Earth, but the difference is that no one lives there. It's void of inhabitants that could have taken advantage of its resources.

As the Perseverance rover moves toward the Jezero crater, it surprisingly finds a very high concentration of organic compounds on the delta.

The rover managed to collect 12 rock samples from the location. While it's still too early to believe the telltale stories about the planet, the latest venture could hint that it was livable about 3.5 billion years ago.

Into the Depths of the Martian Delta

According to CNN, NASA scientists continue to be amazed about the Jezero crater. This particular structure displays an interaction of a river and a lake and how the rock formations affect the shape of the terrain.

The Perseverance rover has gathered ample samples of volcanic, igneous, and other types of rocks. In the past five months, the machine uncovered a layer of sedimentary rocks that could tell more stories about the planet's environment in the past.

"This juxtaposition provides us with a rich understanding of the geologic history after the crater formed and a diverse sample suite. For example, we found a sandstone that carries grains and rock fragments created far from Jezero Crater," Ken Farley, who works as a project scientist in Pasadena said.

Through the SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) instrument, the scientists saw the rock structure beneath the formation.

Just like the other lasers that you usually see in sci-fi films, this tool can detect the mineral and chemical content of a rock and even its organic element.

The international space agency says that organic matter could be considered the "building blocks" of life on the planet. Some are formed naturally, but others can be made via chemical processes.

The samples taken from the delta will be returned to Earth for further assessment. While scientists study them, the Perseverance rover will continue to roam the area in search of another treasure that's waiting to be discovered.

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Written by Joseph Henry