NASA scientists believe they may have found the strongest evidence yet of ancient life on Mars in a rock sample with leopard-like spots. The sample, called Sapphire Canyon, was collected by the Perseverance rover from a rock called Cheyava Falls in July 2024. After a year of study, scientists say they can't find any other explanation for the unusual patterns besides possible ancient microscopic life. The rock shows signs that water once flowed through it over 3 billion years ago, and it contains organic compounds that are the building blocks of life on Earth. The spots may have formed when chemical reactions in the rock provided energy for tiny organisms. Scientists say more study is needed to confirm if this is really evidence of ancient Martian life, and they hope to eventually bring the samples back to Earth for closer examination.