Bacteria could live on Mars

NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered a rock about half a square metre in size on the planet's surface that may contain fossils indicating the existence of microbes on Mars billions of years ago, The Guardian reports .

The rock was discovered on July 21 as the rover moved along the northern edge of the Neretva Valley. It was given the name "Čejava Waterfall." NASA said that analysis of the rock revealed traces of organic material and stains on its surface similar to those believed to be traces of fossilized microbes on Earth. This, according to the agency, proves that there was once water in the "Čejava" area.

Ken Farley, a research scientist at the California Institute of Technology, said Cheyava was "the most mysterious, complex and potentially important rock" ever explored by a rover.

"For the first time, we confirmed the presence of organic material, found characteristic color spots indicating chemical reactions that microbial life could use as an energy source, and obtained clear evidence that water, necessary for life, once flowed through the rock," the scientist said.

However, he said, scientists were unable to determine how exactly the rock formed or what could have contributed to the emergence of life on Mars. Scans of the rock showed that it contains organic compounds. Such carbon-based molecules are considered the building blocks of life, but can also be produced by non-biological processes.

Researchers hope to obtain samples of the Martian rock for more detailed study on Earth, but NASA's mission has run into financial difficulties and could delay its return until 2040.

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