Mars rocks reveal strongest carbon hint yet toward ancient life, but not proof

NASA's Perseverance rover found macromolecular carbon on bare rocks at Jezero crater's Bright Angel outcrop—the richest, most complex carbon yet detected on Mars—an intriguing hint toward past life, but not proof since it could be abiotic; confirming its origin will require Earth-based analysis of returned samples, with Cheyava Falls slated for return but subject to program changes. The carbon shows up across multiple rocks and settings, suggesting Mars’ ancient environment may have supported carbon-based chemistry beyond a single site.