Microorganisms first appeared on Earth in ancient bodies of water around 3.7 billion years ago. But while Mars might have hosted substantial bodies of water around the same time, it’s tough for scientists to determine whether these otherworldly pools also harbored microbial life.

Searching for small fossils in big rocks requires specialized tools --tools that scientists could also use to look for evidence of life on Mars in rocks that may be similar on both planets.

"We proved that our instrument is capable of detecting signatures of life in gypsum," he added, suggesting it might help do the same on Mars. The research focused on gypsum formations that developed during the Messinian Salinity Crisis,

The question of whether life once existed on Mars may be answered by a new laser instrument from the University of Bern. The device can be carried by a rover to zap samples of the Red Planet to see if they contain traces of microfossils.

Scientists found fossil-like traces in gypsum, suggesting ancient microbial life may have existed on Mars billions of years ago.

Researchers tested this technology in gypsum deposits in Algeria, a geological site analogous to those on Mars. The results are encouraging: LIMS identified microbial filaments and minerals associated with life, such as dolomite and clay. These elements ...

What tests can be performed on Earth to help us find signs of ancient life on Mars? This is what a recent study published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Spa | Space