After testing all its instruments on its mechanical arm, the Perseverance rover has begun the mission that it was put on Mars for—examining Martian dust and rocks for evidence of former life. Using its well-equipped robotic arm, the rover recorded its very first scientific readings of the dust that give the planet its reddish appearance, NASA announced on Tuesday. The array of instruments on the 7-foot (2-meter) mechanical arm, which comprises sensors, x-ray and photographic equipment, and more, were tested by the exploratory vehicle. In particular, its x-ray component—Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL)—provided extraordinary results while only testing was underway.