Did Nasa just find evidence of ancient life on Mars? Perseverance detects complex organic carbon

3 min readUpdated: Jun 25, 2026 08:40 PM IST

NASA’s Perseverance rover explores Jezero Crater, where scientists have detected complex organic carbon compounds in ancient Martian rocks.(Image: AP)

Nasa’s Perseverance rover has uncovered its strongest evidence yet that ancient Mars may once have supported life, after detecting complex organic carbon compounds in rocks inside Jezero Crater.

The discovery comes from two mudstone samples collected in the Bright Angel area, along the ancient river system of Neretva Vallis. Scientists found hundreds of organic signatures in the rocks, making it the most extensive organic detection recorded in Jezero Crater so far.

The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, add to growing evidence that Mars once had the chemical ingredients and environmental conditions needed to support life billions of years ago.

Researchers used Perseverance’s SHERLOC instrument, a laser-based spectrometer designed to identify minerals and organic compounds, to examine the rocks in detail. The instrument detected large, complex carbon-bearing molecules, known as macromolecular carbon, which are considered important building blocks of life on Earth.

Scientists say such compounds are commonly found in some of Earth’s oldest rocks and can sometimes represent the only remaining traces of ancient microbial activity.

The discovery is particularly significant because it marks the first detection of macromolecular carbon on a natural rock surface in Jezero Crater and only the second known detection in Martian mudstones outside of Gale Crater, where Nasa’s Curiosity rover continues its mission.

Adding to the excitement, the carbon-rich mudstones were found near the site of last year’s discovery of the famous “Cheyava Falls” rock, which contains unusual leopard-spot-like markings that some scientists believe could be linked to ancient biological activity.

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However, researchers caution that the new findings do not prove life once existed on Mars.

Complex organic molecules can also form through non-biological processes such as hydrothermal activity, chemical reactions in rocks, or material delivered by meteorites. The Perseverance rover is not equipped to determine whether the compounds have a biological or geological origin.

Instead, its primary mission is to identify and collect the most promising samples for eventual return to Earth, where advanced laboratory analysis could provide definitive answers.

For now, the discovery strengthens the case that ancient Mars was once a potentially habitable world and brings scientists one step closer to answering one of humanity’s biggest questions: Was there ever life on the Red Planet?