The Perseverance rover has reached a critical geological site on Mars that scientists believe could hold vital clues about the planet’s ancient past and potential for harboring life. Named Krokodillen, this 30-hectare plateau represents a crucial transition zone between primitive crater rim rocks and outer plains formations in Jezero Crater. NASA scientists have been eagerly anticipating exploring this region for months.

Krokodillen: a geological treasure trove for Mars exploration

Located on the lower slopes of Jezero Crater, west and south of the previously studied Witch Hazel Hill, Krokodillen marks a significant geological boundary. Scientists are particularly excited because these rocks likely predate the impact that formed Jezero Crater itself, potentially offering a direct window into Mars’ earliest environment during the Noachian period.

“This site represents one of our best opportunities to study materials that existed before the crater-forming impact,” explained Ken Farley, a geologist with NASA’s mission team in a May 19th, 2025 report. Initial analyses have already revealed promising findings – the presence of clays, carbonates, and olivine minerals, all typically associated with liquid water environments.

These discoveries build upon earlier findings where NASA made a discovery that reshapes the history of the Red Planet regarding its water-rich past. The minerals found at Krokodillen could have preserved traces of a wet Martian history, potentially even harboring biosignatures – chemical or structural evidence of past life forms.

The strategic importance of this location cannot be overstated. Sitting at the intersection between Mars’ most ancient terrain and younger formations, these rocks serve as geological time capsules. For scientists hunting for evidence of past habitability, few sites offer such promising research potential.

Adaptive sampling strategies for maximum scientific return

Facing the exceptional scientific value of Krokodillen, the mission team has implemented a significant change in their sampling protocol. Previously, each rock core extracted by Perseverance was immediately sealed in a sterile tube. Now, certain samples will remain unsealed, allowing flexibility to replace them if more interesting materials are discovered later.

Katie Stack Morgan, project scientist at JPL, explained that this decision followed rigorous evaluation. “The risk of contamination remains extremely low thanks to the ultra-clean environment inside the rover and precise tube orientation,” she noted. The team has left their most recent sample, named “Bell Island” and containing interesting spherules, temporarily unsealed while they explore potentially more significant specimens.

This protocol adjustment reflects both the team’s accumulated experience after over four years of exploration and the practical reality of limited resources – only seven sample tubes remain available. It demonstrates how Mars exploration continues to evolve, much like discoveries of ancient predators on Earth have revolutionized our understanding of prehistoric life.

Hunting for biosignatures in Mars’ ancient clay deposits

The presence of clay minerals in Krokodillen’s rocks provides compelling evidence that liquid water once flowed abundantly on Mars’ surface during its earliest epochs. These minerals are particularly exciting for astrobiologists because of their remarkable preservation properties. On Earth, clay deposits have protected organic compounds for millions of years, and scientists hope Mars’ clays might have performed a similar function.

Should Perseverance identify biosignatures in this region, they would likely represent vestiges from a significantly earlier age than those at previously explored sites like Cheyava Falls. This possibility connects to other recent discoveries, including evidence of thermal water on Mars found in a Moroccan meteorite, which further supports theories about Mars’ past habitability.

Perseverance, having surpassed 1,500 sols (Martian days) on May 9th, 2025, now functions as a planetary archivist, meticulously organizing a collection of Martian fragments for eventual return to Earth. The rover’s work parallels how scientists study ancient preserved specimens on Earth to understand our planet’s distant past.

As Perseverance continues its methodical exploration of Krokodillen, the scientific community eagerly awaits each new discovery. These findings may ultimately help inform future missions, including those seeking distant objects in our solar system that could similarly hold clues to life’s potential beyond Earth. At Krokodillen, the search for ancient Martian life has become more precise, more methodical—and perhaps closer than ever to success.