Mars rocks rewrite water history at Jezero Crater’s Margin Unit
NASA’s Perseverance rover at Jezero Crater unexpectedly found igneous rocks in the Margin Unit that show water interaction on at least three occasions, overturning the idea that carbonate minerals nearby formed solely from lake conditions. The discovery suggests the Margin Unit was a crossroads for ancient Martian aqueous systems, with olivine-rich rocks and subsequent silica and carbonate formation informing Mars’ early climate and potential habitability and guiding searches for signs of past life.