Scientists may have uncovered a promising new method to detect ancient life on Mars. A recent study suggests that microbial fossils could be preserved in sulfate minerals like gypsum, which are abundant on the Martian surface. This breakthrough could change how space agencies search for past life on the Red Planet.

Could Ancient Microbes Be Trapped In Martian Minerals?

For decades, scientists have speculated that Mars once hosted microbial life, much like early Earth. Billions of years ago, the planet was covered in liquid water, creating conditions favorable for primitive organisms. But as Mars lost its atmosphere and dried up, sulfate minerals formed from evaporating bodies of water.

If microbial life ever existed in these waters, scientists believe its remains could be fossilized inside these minerals. Researchers have now tested a miniature laser-powered mass spectrometer, designed for space missions, and found that it can identify microbial fossils in Earth’s gypsum deposits. This suggests the same technology could be used to analyze Martian rocks for signs of past life.

Earth’s Gypsum Offers A Glimpse Into Mars’ past

To test their hypothesis, scientists examined gypsum samples from Algeria, specifically from a period known as the Messinian Salinity Crisis. During this time, the Mediterranean Sea nearly dried up, creating hypersaline conditions where microbial life thrived—conditions that may have once existed on Mars.

Using their mass spectrometer, researchers detected long, twisting fossil filaments inside the gypsum. These structures closely resemble sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, microorganisms that lived in Earth’s ancient seas. The fossils were also surrounded by dolomite, clay minerals, and pyrite, materials often associated with biological activity.

This discovery strengthens the idea that sulfate minerals could be a prime target in the search for past life on Mars.

What Does This Mean For Future Mars Missions?

NASA’s Perseverance rover has already detected sulfate minerals, including gypsum, on the Martian surface. If similar fossils are found within these deposits, it could be one of the strongest indicators of past microbial life on Mars.

However, researchers caution that proving these features are biological and not just natural mineral formations is still a challenge. They argue that a multi-step approach, combining chemical analysis, imaging, and comparisons with known terrestrial fossils, could improve confidence in identifying ancient life.

“Our findings provide a methodological framework for detecting biosignatures in Martian sulfate minerals, potentially guiding future Mars exploration missions,”  said Youcef Sellam, lead author of the study from the University of Bern. He emphasized that their laser-powered mass spectrometer could be integrated into future Mars rovers to conduct detailed on-site analyses.

Are We Closer To Finding Life Beyond Earth?

The search for life beyond Earth has taken a major step forward. If sulfate minerals on Mars contain fossilized microbes, it could confirm that life once existed beyond our planet.

Despite the excitement, researchers acknowledge that Mars’ extreme environment may have altered or degraded biosignatures over time. To confirm the presence of past life, future missions will need to use multiple independent detection methods.