Tech
Mars rock discovery makes strongest case for past life, scientists reveal
A Mars rock sample collected last summer shows chemical fingerprints that might be traces of past microbe activity, though non-biological explanations are still possible, according to NASA.
The Perseverance rover found the rock in July 2024. The drilled sample, nicknamed Sapphire Canyon, is now the strongest clue scientists have that life once existed on ancient Mars, according to the U.S. space agency.
NASA held a news conference Wednesday to announce that the rover's findings have since passed peer review in the journal Nature, a key step in the scientific process to ensure the evidence is solid. Associate administrator Nicky Fox emphasized that the sample does not contain life itself but a fossilized remnant that suggests life had possibly been there.
"It's kind of the equivalent of seeing … leftovers from a meal, and maybe that meal has been excreted by a microbe," she said.
But whether this possible sign of life will ever be confirmed remains to be seen. Right now the sample is still on Mars, and it's unclear whether a NASA mission will ever bring it back to Earth for further analysis, crucial for getting to the point of certainty. In January, before President Donald Trump took office, NASA officials said they were working on two potential new approaches for Mars Sample Return that could cut costs. The decision for how to proceed would ultimately fall on the Trump administration, whose budget request calls for cancellation of this mission.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, who Trump tapped to lead the agency two months ago, seemed disconcerted by the series of questions from reporters focusing on the mission and its funding rather than the research, which was announced last year.
"We got some of the brightest people at NASA with us," Duffy said during the event. "I was hoping your questions were going to be more on this exciting news that we have today."
Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech
The sample, taken from a rock called Cheyava Falls, is one of 27 rock cores the rover has collected in tubes since landing on the Red Planet in February 2021. The Martian location where it was found was in Neretva Vallis, home to a bygone river that once emptied water into Jezero Crater, the region Perseverance has been exploring.
The rock is a reddish, clay-rich mudstone, with speckles and leopard spots that hint at chemical reactions similar to those that some microbes use for energy here on Earth. It contains organic carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, and iron-rich minerals that could have supported tiny life forms billions of years ago. Though these minerals can also form without living things, the local conditions make a non-biological explanation seem less likely.
"When we see features like this in sediment on Earth, minerals are often the byproduct of microbial metabolisms that are consuming organic matter and making these minerals as a result of those reactions," said Joel Hurowitz, lead author of the Nature paper. "But there are non-biological ways to make these features that we cannot completely rule out."
For example, an alternate way to make an iron-sulfide mineral known as greigite, detected in the sample, could be to heat the rock, said Hurowitz, a planetary scientist at Stony Brook University — essentially cooking those ingredients to create a new mineral phase.
Perseverance scientists say they've exhausted what they can learn about the sample with the car-sized rover's instruments. Back home, researchers could better inspect the material. Advanced tools could search for complex organic molecules, DNA, cell structures, and more.
Without the sample in hand, scientists will continue to pore over the rover's data by testing surrogate ingredients in laboratories, especially to see if they can create similar results in non-biological ways.
Mars Sample Return has been in limbo since a review found it would cost upward of $11 billion and take nearly two decades to achieve. NASA engaged the greater aerospace industry for input on how to wrangle in spending and development last year. Several companies suggested a variety of ideas, which Mashable reported, including repurposing Artemis moon landers and rethinking the last leg of the journey.
The mission is not off the table, said the acting administrator, who is also the U.S. transportation secretary, and the agency will continue to explore cost-saving options to make it feasible.
"If we don't have the resources for the right missions, or the right people, I will go to the president, I'll go to the Congress, I'll ask for more money," he said. "I feel pretty confident that with the money that we've been given in the president's budget, we can accomplish our mission."
SAVE $20: As of Sept. 12, get the Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set for $39.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $59.98. That's a discount of 33% and the lowest price we've seen.
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Do you have a set of projects that need doing around the house? No tools to complete them with? This Amazon deal can get you together with some of the tools you need to finish up, whether you're working on home maintenance like plumbing or general repairs or some automotive tasks. Plus, it's on sale for a great price.
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Be ready to tackle all your DIY projects this fall while you're hanging out around the house and save some serious cash while doing it.
GET A FREE ITEM: As of Sept. 12, when you purchase $800 worth of qualifying EcoFlow items at Amazon, like the Delta 2 Max solar generator on sale for $999 (reg. $1,699), you'll get a free benefit item.
Getting a hefty discount on a big purchase is always a win, but scoring a free gift on top of it feels like hitting the jackpot. For a limited time, Amazon is running a promotion on select EcoFlow products that does just that. If you're in the market for a serious power station, you can snag one on sale and get a second piece of gear for free.
Amazon is giving away free Bluetti portable solar generators — here's how to qualify for the deal
As of Sept. 12, the promotion applies when you spend $800 or more on qualifying items. One example is the EF EcoFlow Delta 2 Max solar generator, which is currently on sale for $999, a $700 discount off its $1,699 list price. Since that purchase is over the $800 threshold, you qualify for the free "benefit item."
To get the deal, you first need to use the "Qualifying item(s)" filter on the promo page to add at least $800 worth of products (like the Delta 2 Max) to your cart. Next, click the "Benefit item(s)" filter to view and add your free gift to the cart. The discount should be applied automatically at checkout, making the benefit item free.
The Delta 2 Max offers 2048Wh of storage and a 2400W output, which is enough to run a mini fridge for over 29 hours or power 15 devices at once. It’s ideal for home backup during an outage or for powering a campsite. One of its best features is the lightning-fast charging, reaching 80 percent in just 43 minutes when using both a wall outlet and solar panels.
SAVE $500: As of Sept. 12, the Breville Barista Touch Impress espresso machine is on sale for $999.95 at Amazon. That's 33% off its list price and the lowest price on record.
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Most espresso machines come with major sticker shock — though you definitely get what you pay for. And when you add up all the Starbucks trips you've made over the last few years, there's a good chance it'll put things into perspective. Of course, a little discount never hurts.
As of Sept. 12, the Breville Barista Touch Impress is on sale for $999.95 at Amazon. That's 33% off its list price and its best price on record. This is only the second time the fancy home espresso machine has dropped below $1,000, making the sticker shock sting a little less.
The Barista Touch Impress is designed to help beginners make specialty coffee at home, thanks to step-by-step barista guidance at your fingertips. It gives you real time feedback and helps you navigate through the brewing process — from selecting the right dose of freshly ground beans to precisely controlling the temperature and water pressure to creating silky microfoam. The built-in touchscreen guides you every step of the way, making it hard to mess things up. Just swipe and select from the 13 presets or customize up to six drinks.
It's a great choice for someone looking to make the switch from everyday coffee shop spending to specialty drinks at home. It aims to flatten the learning curve a bit to make your espresso experience as smooth as your microfoam. Sure, $999.95 is still pretty steep, but if the Breville Barista Touch Impress is on your wishlist, this is the cheapest you'll find it.
Tackle tough jobs with this Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set for its lowest price yet
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