In Scotland, NASA scientists search for clues about Mars’ past
NASA scientists are conducting field research in the Scottish Highlands to study ancient rock formations that mirror Martian geology. The team hopes to identify biosignatures that could help interpret data collected by rovers on Mars.
Why it matters
Understanding how life might have been preserved in ancient Earth environments is critical for the success of future astrobiology missions on Mars.
This summer, NASA scientists headed to the Scottish Highlands to follow up on last year’s announcement of potential biosignatures on Mars and prepare for future research.
The rocks and cliffs of Scotland’s Stoer formation offer a combination difficult to find on Earth: Not only did they form in environments comparable to ancient Martian lakes and rivers, but they also hold evidence of microbial life from 1,2-billion years ago, before land plants existed.
This overlap is ideal for scientists working to interpret NASA’s rover data from the Red Planet.
Red sandstone with reduction spots (gray-green) can be seen at the Bay of Stoer in Scotland, and a rock hammer for scale. Reduction spots are sometimes evidence of ancient microbial life interacting with the rock, but they can be formed in other ways, too. Photo from the Goddard Instrument Field Team’s 2026 expedition. Credit: NASA/Pedro Cota
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