Water on Mars News

Caltech scientists have studied data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. They reveal water flowed on Mars as recently as 2 billion to 2.5 billion years ago.

To prove the new theory researchers needed the freezing environment like that on the south polar cap of Mars Smith immersed smectite samples from the earth in liquid nitrogen to freeze them to -58 degrees Fahrenheit

Previous research has suggested that the majority of the water was lost to space as a result of the collapse of the planet’s magnetic field, when it was either swept away by high intensity solar winds or locked up as sub-surface ice. However, these theories do not explain where all of the water has gone.

Backed by lab experiments and computer models, the researchers laid out how the scenario would have worked.  

The study is based on observations made with the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Researchers also developed a method to measure river paleo-transport direction for a subset of these ridges.

Scientists at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), who led an international research team in the study, created a synthetic version of a hydrogen-containing mineral known as whitlockite.

Fieldwork subsequently showed that these arcuate striations resulted from dune sediments that had been geochemically cemented by salts left behind by evaporating groundwater. 

Scientists used Curiosity rover in recent weeks to examine slabs of rock cross-hatched with shallow ridges that likely originated as cracks in drying mud.

The researchers suggest that a glacier-covered early Mars may have experienced long warm periods, lasting up to 10 million years at a time, caused by a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

NASA says these results provide insight into the climate history of the Red Planet and suggest the surface conditions at this later time may also have been suitable for microbial life.

A new explanation of how gypsum is formed may change the way we process this important building material, as well as allow us to interpret past water availability on other planets such as Mars, scientists say.

Of the many significant breakthroughs, here’s a list of the top five amazing space discoveries of 2015.

NASA will announce the key science findings from the agency’s ongoing exploration of Mars during a news briefing today.

The results suggested that the pebbles had lost approximately 20 percent of their volume.

While the world is going gaga over the presence of flowing brine or salty water on the Red Planet, questions are now being asked why the US space agency did not direct its Curiosity rover to the place where water proofs were recorded for a closer look.

China's ambitious space programme focusing on Moon missions Wednesday came under rare criticism from the official media after NASA's announcement of existence of flowing water on Mars, where India sent its Mangalyaan becoming the first country in Asia to reach the Red Planet.

China needs to look at outer space since the Earth is "relatively small and limited", a state-run Chinese daily said.

NASA has released stunning image of the dark, narrow streaks, called 'recurring slope lineae', emanate from the walls of Garni Crater on Mars captured by its Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.