Nasa makes astonishing Mars water discovery that could change everything we know about the planet

NASA has revealed that water as soon as flowed on Mars for for much longer than beforehand thought.

A brand new examine claims that the Purple Planet probably had flowing rivers round 2 billion years in the past.

Nasa says the "white specks" on this Mars image are salt deposits left behind by evaporating water
Nasa says the "white specks" on this Mars picture are salt deposits left behind by evaporating waterCredit score: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

The surface of Mars shows evidence of ancient river beds
The floor of Mars reveals proof of historical river bedsCredit score: Getty

Nasa stated in a current assertion: "Mars as soon as rippled with rivers and ponds billions of years in the past, offering a possible habitat for microbial life.

"Because the planet’s ambiance thinned over time, that water evaporated, leaving the frozen dessert world that NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) research at this time.

"It’s generally believed that Mars’ water evaporated about 3 billion years in the past. However two scientists finding out knowledge that MRO has collected at Mars during the last 15 years have discovered proof that reduces that timeline considerably.

"Their analysis reveals indicators of liquid water on the Purple Planet as lately as 2 billion to 2.5 billion years in the past, which means water flowed there a couple of billion years longer than earlier estimates."

Nasa's MRO spacecraft orbits Mars and research its geology and local weather.

Its findings might assist us decide whether or not Mars was as soon as residence to alien life.

The current examine targeted on salt deposits regarded as left behind by icy water because it flowed throughout the planet after which evaporated.

The salt deposits are offered as mineral proof that water as soon as flowed on Mars.

Some specialists suspect the water might have supported microbial life however no exhausting proof of this has been found.

On Earth, the place there's water, there's life and researchers hope this may very well be true for different planets too.

Researchers first discovered proof of salt minerals on Mars 14 years in the past.

Nevertheless, the brand new examine used digital elevation maps to point out that the salts have been largely grouped in depressions as soon as residence to ponds and lakes.

Leslie Tamppari, the MRO deputy challenge scientist at JPL, stated: "A part of the worth of MRO is that our view of the planet retains getting extra detailed over time.

"The extra of the planet we map with our devices, the higher we will perceive its historical past."

In different information, Nasa has upgraded its asteroid hazard software program with some key modifications that ought to assist it higher detect doubtlessly harmful house rocks.

Nasa has revealed gorgeous footage of a photo voltaic flare in motion.

And, we seemed into the bizarre world of ‘puffer jacket porn’ accounts.

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