Could Mars have once supported life? Texas A&M University geobiologist Dr. Mike Tice is helping answer one of science’s most profound questions by analyzing volcanic rocks collected from the Jezero Crater by NASA’s Perseverance rover. This crater — once a lake — now serves as a planetary archive, and the rocks at its base are revealing Mars' volcanic and hydrological history. Dr. Tice, a faculty member in the Department of Geology and Geophysics in the College of Arts and Sciences, shares new insights from a groundbreaking study published in Science Advances. His research reveals how volcanic rock and ancient groundwater systems might have once created the right conditions for life on the Red Planet. Using advanced tools like PIXL (Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry), researchers identified multiple lava flows and mineral compositions that not only reshape our understanding of Mars' geological past — but also inform NASA’s future Mars Sample Return mission and potential cr...