Scientists think that Mars could have had life billions of years ago if it had had water
Using NASA's Mars Perseverance rover, a group of scientists led by University of Florida astrobiologist Amy Williams collected the first rocks from Mars that could be brought back to Earth
On Earth, these kinds of places are where life grows and thrives. "The goal of exploring the Jezero delta and crater is to look for rocks that might show signs of ancient life
This is the first step toward finding out if life ever existed on the red planet
With the help of a UF scientist, a Mars rover team collects rocks to bring back to Earth.
The rock samples come from the floor of the Jezero crater, which was chosen for the study because it has a large river delta that used to flow into an old lake
Williams is one of the long-term planners for the Perseverance mission. He helps decide where to send the rover and which tests and samples to do first.