Scientists have detected organic compounds linked to sulfates on the surface of Mars, according to a study published in Nature Astronomy. The discovery, based on data from NASA’s Perseverance rover, comes from samples collected in the Jezero Crater, an ancient lakebed known for its potential past habitability. The research, led by Teresa Fornaro of Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), suggests that while the organics could stem from ancient microbial matter, their formation is more likely abiotic, arising from interactions between volcanic gases and iron oxides in Martian rocks. The findings focus on two sites: Quartier, at the crater floor, and Pilot Mountain on the delta, where the rover’s Sherloc spectrometer detected strong Raman signals associated with magnesium and calcium sulfates—minerals known on Earth to preserve organics well. To confirm the results, the team recreated Martian conditions in the INAF Astrobiology Lab in Florence, mixing sulfates with aromatic organics and analyzing them with instruments analogous to Sherloc. These experiments supported the interpretation that the signals indicate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons trapped in sulfates, possibly concentrated by past water activity, including hydrothermal fluids. John Brucato, co-author and INAF lab director, emphasized the importance of this work for astrobiology, highlighting Italy’s role in analyzing space-returned materials and simulating Martian chemical processes. Fornaro stressed that although no definitive evidence of life has been found, it cannot be ruled out that some organics may derive from ancient biological matter. Future sample return missions could provide more conclusive answers.