Mars Gems: Tiny Ruby-Like Crystals Spotted by Perseverance

NASA’s Perseverance rover found minuscule, 0.2 mm grains of chromium-bearing corundum inside pebbles near the rim of Jezero Crater on Mars. Using the SuperCam laser, scientists observed luminescent signatures indicating ruby- or sapphire-like material, though exact composition remains uncertain. The crystals are thought to have been delivered by meteorite impacts rather than formed in situ, and their discovery suggests Mars could host other precious minerals. Findings were presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas.