Mysterious green spots seen on Mars raises new theory about life on Red Planet

NASA’s Perseverance rover has stumbled upon a new mystery on Mars.

After examining a region called “Bright Angel” and sampling unique “leopard spots” there, the rover journeyed south across Neretva Vallis and discovered a remarkable area known as “Serpentine Rapids.” Here, Perseverance encountered vibrant red rocks, an unexpected find that deepened the rover team’s intrigue.

At Serpentine Rapids, Perseverance used an abrading tool on a red rock outcrop named “Wallace Butte,” creating a 5-cm diameter patch that unveiled a stunning spectrum of colours: white, black, and a distinctive drab-green.

This green colouration was especially fascinating, revealing dark cores surrounded by light green rims. On Earth, similar green spots are often observed in ancient “red beds” and are typically formed by chemical reactions where water, carrying iron, percolates through rock layers and reduces oxidised iron to a green-hued state.

This colour change can occur through natural reactions, and on Earth, it sometimes involves microbes or decaying organic matter.