Researchers have claimed the Perseverance Rover captured evidence of an ancient lake on Mars.

The recent study published in Science Advances led by the University of California Los Angeles and the University of Oslo revealed that a crater called Jezero once contained a body of water, depositing layers of sediments on its floor.

Footage shows the monochrome recording from the car-sized rover nicknamed Percy, showing the bottom of the crater with rocks and bumps believed to be the lake sediments.

The study added that over time, the lake shrank, and the sediment-laden rivers formed a vast delta.

Scientists penetrated the subsurface by utilizing the rover's Radar Imager for Mars' Subsurface Experiment (RIMFAX), unveiling distinct periods of sediment deposition and erosion.

The radar images confirmed the existence of lake sediments, presenting a record of Martian environmental evolution.

Perseverance's ongoing exploration and sample collection aims to investigate further Mars' geological history and potential traces of ancient life.

The research, funded by NASA, the Research Council of Norway, and the University of Oslo, marks a significant step in unravelling Mars' complex geologic narrative.