Could life exist on Mars today? Here’s what the latest evidence says

By Seán Jordan, Associate Professor in Chemistry, Dublin City University
Devyani Jambhule, PhD Candidate, ProtoSigns Lab, Dublin City University

Recently, Nasa revealed exciting details of new findings from Mars. Scientists have discovered tiny patterns of unusual minerals in the clay-rich rocks on the edge of Jezero Crater – an ancient lake once fed by Martian river systems, and the exploration site of the Nasa Perseverance Rover.

These “leopard spot” patterns have been hailed as a potential sign of past microbial life due to their similarity with traces left behind by microorganisms…

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