The Perseverance rover has found tiny crystals that seem to be rubies or sapphires inside pebbles on Mars, where they have never been seen before

In a first for the Red Planet, NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered tiny corundum crystals—the mineral that forms rubies and sapphires—embedded within Martian pebbles. These “ruby-like” grains were identified using the rover’s SuperCaminstrument as it explored the rim of the Jezero Crater

Key Details of the Discovery

• The Findings: Researchers identified grains of corundum less than 0.2 millimetres across inside rocks nicknamed Hampden River, Coffee Cove, and Smiths Harbour.
• Identification Method: The discovery was made by a team at the Los Alamos National Laboratory using Perseverance’s SuperCam, which hit the stones with lasers to trigger luminescence. The light emitted was nearly identical to that of rubies measured in Earth laboratories.
• Formation Theory: While rubies on Earth are typically associated with plate tectonics, Mars lacks this activity. Scientists believe these crystals likely formed when meteorite impacts smashed into the ground, creating the extreme heat and pressure necessary to compress aluminium-rich dust into gemstones.
• Geological Significance: Finding these minerals suggests Mars has been chemically and thermally active more recently than previously thought, providing new insights into the planet’s unique volcanic and impact history. New Scientist +3

Ann Ollila, who presented the findings at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conferenceon 16 March 2026, noted that while the grains shone brightly under the laser, to the naked eye they appear as part of unremarkable white pebbles. 

Would you like to know more about the SuperCam instrument or other recent discoveries made by the Perseverance rover?

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Ann Ollila, who presented the findings at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conferenceon 16 March 2026, noted that while the grains shone brightly under the laser, to the naked eye they appear as part of unremarkable white pebbles

Beyond the rubies, Perseverance has been busy lately: 

• Ancient Lakebeds: It recently spent time in the “Margin Unit,” an area rich in carbonates that could preserve signs of ancient microbial life.
• Organic Molecules: It found evidence of diverse organic compounds in the Jezero Crater, though we still need to bring samples back to Earth to confirm if they are biological or just “space chemistry.”
• Ingenuity’s Legacy: While the Mars Helicopter has finished its flight mission, the rover is still using the data they gathered together to scout the best paths up the crater rim. 

The SuperCam is equipped with a sensitive microphone that records the “snap” sound made when its laser hits a rock. This isn’t just for show—it’s a serious scientific tool:

• Zapping Sound: When the laser pulses, it creates a tiny spark of plasma (vaporized rock). This expansion creates a shockwave that sounds like a rhythmic pop-pop-pop.
• Hardness Profile: The loudness and pitchof that pop tell scientists how hard the rock is. A crisp, loud snap usually means a dense, hard mineral (like those ruby-like crystals), while a muffled thud suggests a softer, dustier material.
• Atmospheric Data: Because sound travels differently depending on the air, the mic also helps NASA study the speed of soundon Mars and how the thin CO2 atmosphere fluctuates with the wind. 

The 

Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission is currently at a dramatic crossroads. While these “ruby-like” gems and other potential biosignatures are safely tucked inside the Perseverance rover, the mission to bring them home is facing major hurdles as of March 2026. 

Current Mission Status (March 2026)

• Funding Cuts: In January 2026, the U.S. Congress passed a federal budget that conspicuously excludes funding for the retrieval portion of the mission. While other NASA science programs were funded, the MSR mission was left effectively unfunded due to a ballooning price tag that reached an estimated $11 billion.
• Indefinite Delay: Many experts now consider the original MSR plan “effectively dead” or stalled indefinitely. NASA is currently standing by for further budget guidance from the agency to decide how to proceed.
• The “Space Race”: While NASA’s plan is in limbo, China’s Tianwen-3 mission remains on track for a 2028 launch, aiming to return the first-ever Martian samples to Earth by 2031.

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