Story perspectives

NASA Discovers Ancient River Delta on Mars, Hints at Life

3/20/2026

Summary

Story summary

NASA's Perseverance rover found a buried ancient river delta beneath Jezero Crater, dating 3.7 to 4.2 billion years.
Ground-penetrating radar showed features up to 115 feet deep, indicating multiple water activity periods.
The findings raise the potential for past life by preserving biosignatures and informing Mars's habitability.
The study was led by Emily Cardarelli of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and published in Science Advances.

1 of 1

Story summary

NASA's Perseverance rover found a buried ancient river delta beneath Jezero Crater, dating 3.7 to 4.2 billion years.
Ground-penetrating radar showed features up to 115 feet deep, indicating multiple water activity periods.
The findings raise the potential for past life by preserving biosignatures and informing Mars's habitability.
The study was led by Emily Cardarelli of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and published in Science Advances.