NASA has discovered signs of life on Mars in the form of organic carbon, sulfur, rust, and phosphorous in a canyon, and new research from the University of Texas at Austin suggests that an atmosphere may have formed billions of years ago,

Learn why scientists are cautiously optimistic about the potential biosignatures found in the Sapphire Canyon rock sample.

Acting Administrator Sean Duffy said one of the 10 new astronauts could become the first human to step on Mars.

But the claim that NASA announced found life on Mars was false. NASA announced it found promising evidence of potential ancient life on the planet, but more research was needed before scientists could comfortably declare it was definitive evidence of life.

NASA scientists say a rock sample collected by the Perseverance rover in Jezero Crater may contain the strongest signs yet of ancient microbial life on Mars, though more analysis is needed before drawing firm conclusions.

The rover carries a drill to penetrate rocks and tubes to hold the samples gathered from places judged most suitable for hosting life billions of years ago.

Prize: NASA could offer a prize—say $3 billion to the first company and $1 billion to a second company—for delivering something like 1 kg of Mars rocks and soil back to Earth. NASA has used prizes very sparingly in the past, but this option could appeal to the Trump administration as it would require very little funding up front.

NASA has just shared one of its most impressive Mars panoramas to date. Captured by its trusty Curiosity rover, the panorama (below) of the Martian landscape comprises 44 images taken by the rover’s Mastcam. The color has been adjusted to match the lighting conditions as the human eye would see them on Earth.