Mars

Nasa's Perseverance rover, which touched down on Mars in 2021, was sent to search for signs of biology and has spent the last four years exploring the Jezero Crater region.

The mission is scheduled to launch in 2028 aiming to probe the surface of Mars for signs of extraterrestrial life.

Clear evidence appears on Mars, and the latest images from the High Resolution Stereo Camera aboard ESA's Mars Express show how strongly these past climates shaped the terrain.

If earthquakes or similar geological motions can refresh chemical resources below the surface, this could expand the possible habitats for microbes on worlds such as Mars.

"Ultimately, we hope this work opens a new frontier toward constructing ecosystems in extraterrestrial environments such as the Moon and Mars," says Fujita.