Nasa scientists are studying rocks in the Scottish Highlands as part of their efforts to determine if life once existed on Mars. The US space agency announced last year that its Perseverance rover had discovered potential biosignatures, which are markings on rocks that may have been created by ancient microbes.
This summer, scientists collected samples from the Stoer Formation, a geological feature located near Clachtoll in Assynt, within the north-west Highlands. Nasa stated that the rocks in this area formed in environments similar to ancient Martian lakes and rivers, and could also contain evidence of microbial life from 1.2 billion years ago.
The research expedition was led by Nasa's Goddard Instrument Field Team, which specialises in studying Earth's extreme environments. Experts from the Universities of Glasgow and Cambridge were among those involved in taking rock samples from cliffs for further analysis.
Nasa explained that while Mars is currently dry, its landscape, like Earth's, has been shaped by an ancient history of flowing water. Both planets feature layered areas of mudstones and siltstones rich in clay minerals. Learning how signs of ancient life appear in Earth rocks, such as these Scottish cliffs, could help in understanding the story of habitability and the potential for biosignatures to be preserved and detected on Mars.