Perseverance

Perseverance collects first pure Martian clay sample in Jezero Crater

NASA says its Perseverance rover has collected what it describes as the first pure sample of Martian clay minerals, drilling into an ancient river delta in Jezero Crater. The core is notable for its unusually high concentration of smectite clays, which are known on Earth for their ability to trap and preserve organic material. The sample came from a geological setting that scientists consider one of the most…