In 1984, the ALH84001 meteorite was discovered in the Allan Hills region of Antarctica. But it wasn’t until 1996 that this lump of rock would gain significance, being used to build upon evidence of panspermia. A group of scientists, led by David McKay from NASA’s Johnson Space Flight Center, declared that their research showed signs of Martian life within the meteorite.
At 4 billion years old, this meteorite is thought to have existed on Mars during a period when the planet was abundant in water, an essential resource for life. Scientists looked at the centre of the rock to avoid using sections contaminated by the environment on Earth.