Water still flows on Mars · 2006-12-07 13:53
Nasa says it has found evidence that liquid water flowed recently on the surface of Mars.
The researchers compared two sets of photographs taken in 1999-2001 by the Mars Global Surveyor and the other taken in 2004-2005 by the same craft, reports FOX news.
They seem to show that liquid water flowed down the sides of craters on the Red Planet’s surface in the meantime.
Other scientists think it possible that gullies like this were caused not by water but by liquid carbon dioxide, informs BBC.
One of the reasons for favouring CO2 was that computer models of the Martian crust indicated water could exist only at depths of several kilometres. Liquid carbon dioxide, on the other hand, could persist much nearer the surface where temperatures can drop as low as -107C.
Mars was once warm and wet like Earth, with a radiation-deflecting magnetic shield, but somehow dried up and got cold billions of years ago.
The finding adds further weight to the idea that Mars might harbour the right conditions for life.
Famous author of “The Martian Chronicles” told FOX news: “It’s nice to know that water’s there, because we’re going to need water.” said Ray Bradbury.
“The water may be flowing on Mars, but the important thing is the blood flowing in our veins and our hearts beating in our chests,” Bradbury added. “I’ve put life on Mars. If you’ve read ‘The Martian Chronicles,’ you know damn well there’s life on Mars.”
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