NASA just announced that its Perseverance rover recently found some promising signs of ancient life on Mars. The rover obtained a sample of rock formed billions of years ago from sediment and there are biomarkers indicating the potential presence of microbes once upon a time.<br /> Basically, the rocks contain minerals that typically form as a result of a chemical reaction between mud and organic matter. That doesn't necessarily mean that Mars once had life, as the minerals can form due to nonbiological processors. However, it's certainly one of the best pieces of evidence we have to point toward our neighbor planet once housing life of some kind.<br /> "On Earth, reactions like these, which combine organic matter and chemical compounds in mud to form new mineral [...]
After a tumultuous 2025 that saw it lose around 4,000 employees, NASA finally has an operating budget for 2026, and one that largely preserves its scientific capabilities. On Thursday, the Senate pass [...]
NASA will analyze and explore two different landing options for its Mars Sample Return program, though it will take almost two years to do so and is expected to announce its decision in late 2026. The [...]
Thirteen years ago, the Curiosity rover landed on Mars, inside Gale crater in particular. It was originally sent to the red planet for a two-year mission, but it was extended indefinitely just a few m [...]
NASA has confirmed the pending launch of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Rosalind Franklin rover, which is being sent to Mars. The current plan is to launch via a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket fro [...]