Reservoir of liquid water found deep in Martian rocks
Reservoir of liquid water found deep in Martian rocks
The Facts
According to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, data based on NASA's InSight lander, have revealed a massive reserve of liquid water under the planet's surface, indicating favorable conditions for possible microbiological life.
Evidence suggests Mars once had rivers and vast oceans, but the water disappeared about 3B years ago when the planet lost its atmosphere. Some of it froze into ice, but scientists have long sought to learn where the remainder went. New data indicate that water filtered into the crust rather than escaping into space.
The Spin
Scientists have long been fascinated by the idea of discovering liquid water on Mars. The most recent findings give evidence that Mars possesses liquid water under its surface, in addition to the frozen water visible at its poles. If confirmed, this discovery would be game-changing for scientists interested in the possibility of life on Mars and the continuing effort to determine the planet's habitability.
Finding liquid water on Mars suggests there could be life, but as of yet, no life has been detected. According to the dominant theory, Mars never had life. Even though Mars had the same basic ingredients as early Earth and similar watery conditions, it never had the necessary conditions for life to develop. There were inorganic geological and chemical processes, but no organic life on Mars. The Sun removed Mars's atmosphere over three billion years ago, drying out any liquid surface water and causing its current appearance.
