Tech
Mars rock discovery makes strongest case for past life, scientists reveal
A Mars rock sample collected last summer shows chemical fingerprints that might be traces of past microbe activity, though non-biological explanations are still possible, according to NASA.
The Perseverance rover found the rock in July 2024. The drilled sample, nicknamed Sapphire Canyon, is now the strongest clue scientists have that life once existed on ancient Mars, according to the U.S. space agency.
NASA held a news conference Wednesday to announce that the rover's findings have since passed peer review in the journal Nature, a key step in the scientific process to ensure the evidence is solid. Associate administrator Nicky Fox emphasized that the sample does not contain life itself but a fossilized remnant that suggests life had possibly been there.
"It's kind of the equivalent of seeing … leftovers from a meal, and maybe that meal has been excreted by a microbe," she said.
But whether this possible sign of life will ever be confirmed remains to be seen. Right now the sample is still on Mars, and it's unclear whether a NASA mission will ever bring it back to Earth for further analysis, crucial for getting to the point of certainty. In January, before President Donald Trump took office, NASA officials said they were working on two potential new approaches for Mars Sample Return that could cut costs. The decision for how to proceed would ultimately fall on the Trump administration, whose budget request calls for cancellation of this mission.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, who Trump tapped to lead the agency two months ago, seemed disconcerted by the series of questions from reporters focusing on the mission and its funding rather than the research, which was announced last year.
"We got some of the brightest people at NASA with us," Duffy said during the event. "I was hoping your questions were going to be more on this exciting news that we have today."
Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech
The sample, taken from a rock called Cheyava Falls, is one of 27 rock cores the rover has collected in tubes since landing on the Red Planet in February 2021. The Martian location where it was found was in Neretva Vallis, home to a bygone river that once emptied water into Jezero Crater, the region Perseverance has been exploring.
The rock is a reddish, clay-rich mudstone, with speckles and leopard spots that hint at chemical reactions similar to those that some microbes use for energy here on Earth. It contains organic carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, and iron-rich minerals that could have supported tiny life forms billions of years ago. Though these minerals can also form without living things, the local conditions make a non-biological explanation seem less likely.
"When we see features like this in sediment on Earth, minerals are often the byproduct of microbial metabolisms that are consuming organic matter and making these minerals as a result of those reactions," said Joel Hurowitz, lead author of the Nature paper. "But there are non-biological ways to make these features that we cannot completely rule out."
For example, an alternate way to make an iron-sulfide mineral known as greigite, detected in the sample, could be to heat the rock, said Hurowitz, a planetary scientist at Stony Brook University — essentially cooking those ingredients to create a new mineral phase.
Perseverance scientists say they've exhausted what they can learn about the sample with the car-sized rover's instruments. Back home, researchers could better inspect the material. Advanced tools could search for complex organic molecules, DNA, cell structures, and more.
Without the sample in hand, scientists will continue to pore over the rover's data by testing surrogate ingredients in laboratories, especially to see if they can create similar results in non-biological ways.
Mars Sample Return has been in limbo since a review found it would cost upward of $11 billion and take nearly two decades to achieve. NASA engaged the greater aerospace industry for input on how to wrangle in spending and development last year. Several companies suggested a variety of ideas, which Mashable reported, including repurposing Artemis moon landers and rethinking the last leg of the journey.
The mission is not off the table, said the acting administrator, who is also the U.S. transportation secretary, and the agency will continue to explore cost-saving options to make it feasible.
"If we don't have the resources for the right missions, or the right people, I will go to the president, I'll go to the Congress, I'll ask for more money," he said. "I feel pretty confident that with the money that we've been given in the president's budget, we can accomplish our mission."
TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Belgium in a 2026 International Friendly for free on RTL Play. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2026 World Cup is looming large on the horizon. And that means top international sides from around the world will be sharpening up in the coming weeks and months.
There are a number of high-profile International Friendlies taking place this week as teams look to build momentum, including USA vs. Belgium. Mauricio Pochettino's side will need to be at their best to get anything out of a talented Belgian team. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be lively as the likes of Pulisic and De Bruyne battle it out.
If you want to watch USA vs. Belgium in a 2026 International Friendly for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is USA vs. Belgium?
USA vs. Belgium kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on March 28. This fixture takes place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
How to watch USA vs. Belgium for free
USA vs. Belgium is available to live stream for free on RTL Play.
RTL Play is geo-restricted to Belgium, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Belgium, meaning you can access free live streams on RTL Play from anywhere in the world.
Lve stream USA vs. Belgium for free by following these simple steps:
-
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
-
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
-
Open up the app and connect to a server in Belgium
-
Visit RTL Play
-
Stream USA vs. Belgium for free from anywhere in the world
Opens in a new window
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch USA vs. Belgium without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select games before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for RTL Play?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTL Play, for a number of reasons:
-
Servers in 105 countries including Belgium
-
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
-
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
-
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
-
Up to eight simultaneous connections
-
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream USA vs. Belgium for free with ExpressVPN.
Among passionate TikTok communities, BookTok, may be the most influential.
BookTok is where book lovers and e-reader obsessives to come together to discuss their favorite books and device hacks. For readers who use e-readers, Kindle, Kobo, and Boox lead the charge as the most popular devices, so it's notable when a new device goes viral. "Mini Kindles" appear to be the latest device to cause a stir on BookTok, with hundreds of videos showcasing the tiny e-readers.
On TikTok, searching for "mini Kindle" (or "mini Kindle pods") brings up dozens of user videos showing someone walking into a Barnes & Noble or Target and then cutting to an unboxing of a so-called "mini Kindle". As someone who tests e-readers for a living, this confused me.
I have no reason to believe these e-readers are actually being purchased at Barnes & Noble, nor do they have any apparent affiliation with Amazon Kindles.
In fact, the devices being hyped in these videos appear to be sold by the users who post them.
In a since-deleted video, user @aurealeaf directs viewers to the website NovaLeaf, where the "NovaLeaf Mini Kindle" is listed. (Editor's note: As of this writing, the @aurealeaf account is no longer available.) Another user, @hydro_scope, directs viewers to their website with a listing for a NOVA Mini Pink Kindle. Both devices claim to be pocket-sized e-readers under the Kindle name, despite no affiliation with Amazon.
We reached out to both @aurealeaf and @hydro_scope, and we'll update this post if we receive a response.
Are mini Kindle pods actually Kindles?
These mini Kindles do not seem to be actual Kindle e-readers or associated with Amazon at all, nor does Amazon sell any mini version of the Kindle e-readers. We reached out for comment from Amazon and have not heard back at the time of publication.
By performing reverse image searches on Nova and NovaLeaf websites, I found that the "mini Kindles" listed for sale there are visual matches for devices manufactured by a company called Oilsky. They appear to be 4-inch touchscreen MP3 and 1080p video players. With built-in access to the Google Play store, the Kindle app is available to download onto the device; however, that appears to be the only connection to Amazon.
The Oilsky MP3 player and copycat versions are currently listed on Amazon. These TikTok-based sellers have their mini Kindles listed for $79.99, about $10 more than the direct Oilsky listing on Amazon. Oilsky MP3 players are not listed for sale at Barnes & Noble or Target.
In short, the viral TikTok videos are using the word "Kindle" to refer to any e-reader-like device and may be at risk of legal action from Amazon.
As of this writing, the @aurealeaf TikTok account is no longer available.
TL;DR: Live stream Switzerland vs. Germany in a 2026 International Friendly for free on RTS. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
There are a number of really interesting International Friendlies taking place this week, including Switzerland vs. Germany.
This is a great opportunity for these sides to test out new formations, experiment with new players, and generally build some positive momentum before this summer's World Cup. We expect a competitive contest between two experienced sides, with the likes of Joshua Kimmich and Florian Wirtz expected to feature.
If you want to watch Switzerland vs. Germany in a 2026 International Friendly for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Switzerland vs. Germany?
Switzerland vs. Germany kicks off at 3:45 p.m. ET on March 27. This fixture takes place at the St. Jakob Park.
How to watch Switzerland vs. Germany for free
Switzerland vs. Germany is available to live stream for free on RTS.
RTS is geo-restricted to Switzerland, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Switzerland, meaning you can access free live streams on RTS from anywhere in the world.
Lve stream Switzerland vs. Germany for free by following these simple steps:
-
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
-
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
-
Open up the app and connect to a server in Switzerland
-
Visit RTS
-
Stream Switzerland vs. Germany for free from anywhere in the world
Opens in a new window
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Switzerland vs. Germany without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select games before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for RTS?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTS, for a number of reasons:
-
Servers in 105 countries including Switzerland
-
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
-
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
-
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
-
Up to eight simultaneous connections
-
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Switzerland vs. Germany for free with ExpressVPN.
11 Remote Jobs You Can Start Today With Zero Experience
Why Your Biological Sleep Schedule Might Be Costing You a Promotion
13 Retailers That Want to Buy Your Clutter (Including Costco)
SEND IN THE TROOPS! At Least 5 Dead, 10 Wounded So Far in Chicago Weekend Shootings
How I Paid Off My Mortgage 10 Years Early On A Teacher’s Salary
Black Lives Matter Activist in Boston Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges – Scammed Donors to Fund Her Lifestyle
-
Politics7 months agoSEND IN THE TROOPS! At Least 5 Dead, 10 Wounded So Far in Chicago Weekend Shootings
-
Business6 months ago
How I Paid Off My Mortgage 10 Years Early On A Teacher’s Salary
-
Politics6 months agoBlack Lives Matter Activist in Boston Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges – Scammed Donors to Fund Her Lifestyle
-
Tech7 months agoGet a lifetime subscription to the “ChatGPT for investors” for under $60
-
Tech6 months agoReview: The Dreame H15 Pro CarpetFlex is the first wet/dry vacuum I liked
-
Business7 months ago
25 Low-Effort Side Hustles You Can Start This Weekend
-
Business7 months ago
9 Ways to Command a Six-Figure Salary Without a Bachelor’s
-
Entertainment6 months agoFat Joe Recalls Bruno Mars Snapping on Him Over Question About Puerto Rican Roots: ‘Broke My Heart’