‘Ancient lake’ discovered on Mars by Nasa’s Perseverance rover

Nasa's Perseverance rover has collected data confirming the existence of ancient lake sediments at the base of a crater, according to researchers.

The sediments were deposited by water that once filled a giant basin called Jezero Crater, according to a study published on Friday by scientists from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Oslo.

"We can’t tell for sure if what we’re seeing is their original state, or if we’re seeing the conclusion of a long geological story,” UCLA professor of Earth, planetary and space sciences David Paige said.

Findings reinforce the hope that traces of life might be found in soil and rock samples collected by Perseverance, scientists said.