ScienceEarthSky‘Rosetta Stone for Mars:’ Martian meteorite hints at ancient life
A 4.1-billion-year-old Martian meteorite found in the Sahara contains manganese oxide, which on Earth is linked to microbial life, hinting Mars may once have been habitable.
A rare 4.1-billion-year-old Martian meteorite, Teghaza 001, provides new clues about Mars' ancient and more habitable past.
Researchers examining a rare Martian meteorite called Teghaza 001, found in Mali in 2022, published their findings in the journal Science on October 29, 2026.
The meteorite contains large amounts of manganese oxide, which on Earth is a common byproduct of microbial life, though the researchers say this is not proof of ancient Martian life.
One of the paper's reviewers called it a Rosetta Stone for Mars, as it also provides new clues about how wet and potentially habitable Mars was billions of years ago.
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