NASA says its Mars rover discovered a potential biosignature last year that may point to signs of life

NASA announced that its Perseverance rover spotted a potential biosignature on Mars during 2024, a discovery that would yield significant insights into the history of the planet. 

Scientists released the finding in a press release on Monday (September 15), with specialists noting that more research is needed. The signal has added to evidence suggesting that Mars may have once hosted microbial life.

The word biosignature applies to patterns, molecules, or characteristics that might signal past or existing life. NASA emphasized that the discovery is not an indication of life but a sign that requires more examination. 

NASA’s Perseverance rover detects potential biosignature in Jezero Crater, with more research needed

After a year of scientific scrutiny, a rock sample collected by the Perseverance rover has been confirmed to contain a potential biosignature. The sample is the best candidate so far to provide evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars. https://t.co/0BAO1dhMG8 pic.twitter.com/JsOXgrNDmY

— NASA Mars (@NASAMars) September 10, 2025

NASA says that Perseverance has found strange organic compounds in sedimentary rocks it gathered from the Jezero Crater, which had a lake billions of years ago. Organic compounds are carbon-based and therefore of interest in life studies, but they also can appear by non-biological means. 

The rover retrieved samples in mid-2024 during its mission to retrieve rock cores that will later be returned to Earth. Chemical signatures detected by onboard instruments bear a resemblance to possible biosignatures, which is why scientists wanted to take a closer look. 

NASA said the onboard technology on the rover can provide preliminary analysis, but laboratory analysis on Earth will be required to determine if the materials are indeed biological or formed through geological mechanisms.

Possible biosignatures add to past discoveries, suggesting Mars may once have supported life

Scientists have long regarded Jezero Crater as among the most exciting areas to look for ancient life on Mars. There is evidence that the crater hosted an ancient lake and delta system. 

Sedimentary rocks in the region could retain chemical records of ancient environmental conditions. The Jezero samples are now sealed and kept in the rover's cache for a future Mars Sample Return mission. 

Provided it is successfully brought to Earth, these materials will be subjected to thorough examination using equipment much more sophisticated than what can presently be sent to Mars. Next steps for scientists is decoding biosignatures that are multifaceted. 

Organic molecules are formed through biological processes, but they can also be the work of volcanic or chemical processes not connected to life. These need to be differentiated with exact research. 

NASA intends to keep on studying the samples gathered by Perseverance and preparing for the sample return mission, set for the early 2030s. Before then, the results are still "potential biosignatures," which highlights the importance of careful interpretation.

The discovery of potential biosignatures contributes to a string of discoveries by NASA's Mars missions, such as signs of water activity, fluctuations in atmospheric methane, and organic content within rocks. 

None of these individual discoveries prove life, but collectively they increasingly support Mars as a planet that was potentially habitable. For the time being, NASA reports that the finding underscores the promise and the boundaries of unmanned exploration. 

The rover continues to collect data and samples, giving scientists more chances to learn about Mars before the day can come when material from the planet is examined directly on Earth.

​