Scientists Made An Astonishing Discovery On Mars—What Does It Mean?

Scientists have long believed that Earth was the only garden planet and Mars, which was once partly covered in water, was dry. Mars now has dry oceans and Riverbeds on its surface, but the water may be hiding. If scientists were able to get to it, their discovery could be life-changing.

A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences explains that it was long believed that when Mars lost its magnetic field a billion years ago, the water evaporated into space. But it seems that’s not the case. The water appears to still be on Mars, trapped in the pores of volcanic rock.

If The Water Moves To The Surface, New Life Could Begin On Mars

Scientists speculate that excess water could contribute to Martian life in the rocky pores.

“Water is necessary for life as we know it,” said Michael Manga, study co-author and professor of geophysics and planetary sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, in a statement . “I don’t see why [the underground reservoir] is not a habitable environment. It’s certainly true on Earth—deep, deep mines host life, the bottom of the ocean hosts life.”

Scientists hope to be able to determine how deep the water is and—if they can tap it—begin to study it.

“Understanding the Martian water cycle is critical for understanding the evolution of the climate, surface, and interior,” said Vashan Wright , a former UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow, who is now an assistant professor at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “A useful starting point is to identify where water is and how much is there.”

Manga added, “We haven’t found any evidence for life on Mars, but at least we have identified a place that should, in principle, be able to sustain life.”

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here .

The post Scientists Made An Astonishing Discovery On Mars—What Does It Mean? appeared first on InspireMore .