This week, Perseverance delivered some intriguing data about the Jezero Crater and potential ancient life on Mars, the oldest army of ants in the world were once scuttling across Europe 35 million years ago, and we dive deep into the Mars Sample Return mission in an IFLScience exclusive.

48,500-Year-Old Virus Reawoken From Ancient Siberian Permafrost

Scientists have revived a number of ancient viruses that have been locked deeply in the Siberian permafrost since the Ice Age. While the research undoubtedly sounds risky, the team believes it’s a threat worth looking into when we consider the growing perils of thawing permafrost and climate change. Read the full story here 

Mars’ Jezero Crater Was Definitely A Lake And Was Full Of Organic Material

Data from the first 208 Martian days of Perseverance have provided a wealth of information about the Jezero Crater. Believed to be an ancient lake, the latest research overwhelmingly and unambiguously confirmed that. Additionally, the analysis also revealed an intriguing find in the search for ancient life on Mars. Read the full story here 

This Was The Oldest Meal Ever Eaten By An Animal

New research has shone a light on how the world’s oldest large animals consumed and digested food. Animals from the Ediacaran period lived around 575 million years ago and by analyzing the chemicals in their fossilized guts, scientists were able to discover their diet. Read the full story here 

Brain Changes In People Who Get Migraines Found For The First Time

Unique brain changes seen only in people who get migraines have been discovered and could open up new avenues for further research into the management of the often debilitating condition. For the first time, researchers have confirmed changes that sit within an area of the brain called the centrum semiovale, the central area of white matter that sits underneath the cerebral cortex. Read the full story here

World’s Oldest Army Ant Preserved In Amber Reveals Species Lived In Europe

While you might think that ants are widespread across the world, army ant species have been notably absent from Europe. However, the discovery of ant species preserved in amber shows that the oldest army ant in the world lived across Europe around 35 million years ago. Read the full story here 

Exclusive: 

Everything We Know About The Mars Sample Return Mission

“It’s going to give us a glimpse to a period of time in the solar system that we have never seen and we are going to learn so many incredible things, even if we don’t find life.” IFLScience breaks down the historic mission to bring chunks of Mars down to Earth.  Read the full story here