Scientists may have uncovered a promising new method to detect ancient life on Mars. A recent study suggests that microbial fossils could be preserved in sulfate minerals like gypsum, which are ...

we have a new potential way to find them Margherita Bassi Daily Correspondent Researchers used a miniaturized laser mass spectrometer to identify signs of fossils in a gypsum quarry in Algeria.

They sampled gypsum from Sidi Boutbal quarry, Algeria, and analyzed it using the mass spectrometer and an optical microscope, guided by criteria which can help distinguish between potential ...