Mastcam-Z Views 'Leopard Spots' in Perseverance's Drill Bit

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z instrument to capture this view of the "Cheyava Falls" rock sample within the rover's drill bit on July 21, 2024, the 1,215th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Markings akin to leopard spots can be seen in the rock – fascinating traits that may bear on the question of whether the Red Planet was home to microscopic life in the distant past. The spots seen in the rock are small, irregularly shaped light patches surrounded by a thin rim of dark minerals. These spots indicate chemical conditions during formation or alteration of this rock billions of years ago that could have provided energy for microbial life, if it was ever present at this location on Mars. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26370