There’s a Giant, Salty Lake on Mars – What Does This Mean For Us?
6 years, 5 months ago

There’s a Giant, Salty Lake on Mars – What Does This Mean For Us?

The Quint  

The search for life on Mars just got a lot more interesting. This headline-making announcement sent shockwaves among Earthlings, as it raises the possibility that we are not alone on this lonely Blue Planet teeming with life and strife. According to a study published in the journal ‘Science’, scientists have reported the detection of a salt-laden lake that sits under the southern polar ice-cap of our planetary neighbour. Although the new finding offers hope, it’s a far cry from sampling the water and getting tangible evidence. Although it may take years to verify whether there is anything living in this body of water that resembles a sub-glacial lake on Earth, there is no reason we shouldn’t take out our copy of ‘The Martian’ and watch it all over again.

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History of this topic

Indian scientists discover Martian lake that could have supported life
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Indian scientists discover Martian lake that could have supported life

India Today  

A new study conducted by scientists at the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad has brought fresh insights into the potential for past life on Mars, specifically in areas where chloride-rich depressions exist. One promising discovery involves the study of a topographic depression within the Terra Sirenum region, which could hold key clues to understanding Mars' wet history. The study’s findings …

Did NASA’s Viking ‘kill life’ on Mars? Expert says, ‘It was so much like Earth…’
1 month, 4 weeks ago

Did NASA’s Viking ‘kill life’ on Mars? Expert says, ‘It was so much like Earth…’

Live Mint  

NASA's Viking 1 spacecraft was launched in 1975 to explore the possibility of life on Mars. Dirk Schulze-Makuch, an astrobiologist at the Technische Universität in Germany's Berlin, claimed that the Viking may indeed have discovered life on Mars, but the water-based nature of its life-detection experiments might have unintentionally killed it. “We are water-filled bags, but too much water is …

Mars rover data confirms ancient lake sediments on red planet
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Mars rover data confirms ancient lake sediments on red planet

The Hindu  

NASA's rover Perseverance has gathered data confirming the existence of ancient lake sediments deposited by water that once filled a giant basin on Mars called Jezero Crater, according to a study published on Friday. The findings from ground-penetrating radar observations conducted by the robotic rover substantiate previous orbital imagery and other data leading scientists to theorize that portions of Mars …

Scientists find new evidence for liquid water on Mars
2 years, 3 months ago

Scientists find new evidence for liquid water on Mars

The Hindu  

An international team of researchers has found new evidence for the possible existence of liquid water beneath the south polar ice cap of Mars. Given the cold climate conditions, liquid water beneath the ice cap would require an additional heat source, such as geothermal heat from within the planet, at levels above those expected for present-day Mars. "The combination of …

Researcher finds first mineral evidence confirming water flowed on Mars longer than previously thought
2 years, 11 months ago

Researcher finds first mineral evidence confirming water flowed on Mars longer than previously thought

India Today  

While rovers trundle on the surface in search of ancient microbial life, the machines hovering above Mars have identified a crucial development in the evolution of the Red Planet. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has determined that water left salt minerals on the surface as recently as two billion years ago. It has already been determined that the surface of the …

Scientists say new evidence suggests water exists on Mars, with possibility of life
2 years, 11 months ago

Scientists say new evidence suggests water exists on Mars, with possibility of life

ABC  

A team of scientists says it has new evidence that indicates salty, liquid water exists on Mars — bringing us one step closer to discovering life on the Red Planet. Key points: Scientists say they have more evidence that indicates liquid water exists below Mars' southern polar ice caps They say this brings humans one step closer to discovering life …

Size matters: Mars was 'doomed from beginning' due to its small size to hold water
3 years, 3 months ago

Size matters: Mars was 'doomed from beginning' due to its small size to hold water

India Today  

Mars, the crimson Red Planet was always doomed and headed towards deterioration, not just because of major climatic events, but due to its small size to hold onto large amounts of water. Researchers have long believed that the Red Planet once hosted vast water lakes just like Earth, which is the centre of research for Curiosity and Perseverance rovers trundling …

Curiosity rover finds new clues indicating Mars likely had salty lakes
3 years, 6 months ago

Curiosity rover finds new clues indicating Mars likely had salty lakes

India Today  

Scientists for long have believed that Mars in its past had conditions to support some form of life. Curiosity rover sent to study the surface of Mars has sent clues suggesting the red planet once had salty lakes. The Curiosity rover trundling on the surface of Mars has been a source of understanding the geology of the Gale crater that …

Water on Mars: Mystery Deepens around Dozens of Underground Lakes on Red Planet
3 years, 6 months ago

Water on Mars: Mystery Deepens around Dozens of Underground Lakes on Red Planet

News 18  

Mars is the closest planet that man-made technology ventured to explore life beyond Earth. About three years ago scientists confirmed that the dusty, dry red ball that is Mars, has lakes filled with liquid water. Researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory examined the data from the European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter and observed dozens of radar reflections similar to …

Lakes on Mars: Radar signals deepen mystery around water on Red Planet
3 years, 6 months ago

Lakes on Mars: Radar signals deepen mystery around water on Red Planet

India Today  

Mars has always evoked curiosity and is the closest planet that human-made machines have ventured to investigate life beyond Earth. The study carries forward work from 2018 when signals from a radar instrument reflected off the Red Planet’s south pole appeared to reveal a liquid subsurface lake. Led by Aditya R Khuller and Jeffrey J Plaut from the Jet Propulsion …

Potential Life on Mars Likely Existed Several Miles Below Surface of Red Planet, Finds Study
4 years, 1 month ago

Potential Life on Mars Likely Existed Several Miles Below Surface of Red Planet, Finds Study

News 18  

If life ever existed on ancient Mars, it would have lived up to several miles below the surface of the Red Planet, likely due to subsurface melting of thick ice sheets fuelled by geothermal heat, according to a study. “Even if greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and water vapour are pumped into the early Martian atmosphere in computer simulations, climate …

Potential life on Mars likely lived below the surface: Study
4 years, 1 month ago

Potential life on Mars likely lived below the surface: Study

Hindustan Times  

If life ever existed on ancient Mars, it would have lived up to several miles below the surface of the Red Planet, likely due to subsurface melting of thick ice sheets fuelled by geothermal heat, according to a study. Even if Mars had a warm and wet climate 4 billion years ago, with the loss of the magnetic field, atmospheric …

Buried lakes of liquid water discovered on Mars 火星上发现埋藏的液态水湖泊
4 years, 2 months ago

Buried lakes of liquid water discovered on Mars 火星上发现埋藏的液态水湖泊

China Daily  

Buried lakes of liquid water discovered on Mars 火星上发现埋藏的液态水湖泊 Play audio file 科学家们在火星南极附近发现了三个地下湖泊。他们还证实了第四个湖泊的存在。 The chances of life surviving on the surface of Mars today are slim. 火星表面现在存在生命的可能性很小。这颗红色星球是一片沙漠，温度通常低于零下60摄氏度。但在地下的某些地方，微生物可能会勉强生存。 Now, scientists have confirmed the presence of four lakes about a kilometre beneath the Martian south polar ice cap. These lakes are kept liquid by large amounts of dissolved salts, which lower water's …

Liquid 'Water' Bodies Found Under Mars Surface
4 years, 3 months ago

Liquid 'Water' Bodies Found Under Mars Surface

News 18  

The European Space Agency ’s Mars mission Mars Express has discovered several liquid bodies under the south pole of the red planet using its Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding instrument. The ESA mission has found a large liquid body, separated from other smaller liquid bodies by dry patches. The MARSIS instrument on ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft functions …

Water on Mars: Researchers discover 3 buried lakes on red planet
4 years, 3 months ago

Water on Mars: Researchers discover 3 buried lakes on red planet

India Today  

Researchers have detected the presence of three more lakes, besides one large reservoir discovered two years ago, buried under the icy surface of the red planet, Mars. According to a paper published in Nature Astronomy on Monday, researchers have confirmed the presence of one saltwater lake, which was discovered by planetary scientists two years ago, and also found three more …

We might be totally wrong about water on Mars
4 years, 5 months ago

We might be totally wrong about water on Mars

Wired  

You’d be forgiven for not noticing it – with everything that’s been going on – but a passionate debate has been raging among astronomers. We’ve long known that Mars has water trapped in its polar ice caps, but the planet also leaves us tantalising clues that water was much more abundant than it is today. Mars’s valley networks are really …

Life on Mars: What we now know (and still don’t know)
5 years, 1 month ago

Life on Mars: What we now know (and still don’t know)

CNN  

CNN — For decades, space was the final frontier. “Mars is a planet that started with all the same raw materials as Earth, but along the way has suffered changes,” said the European Space Agency’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, David Parker. “You could say it’s kind of broken down.” Because it was once Earth’s sister planet, Parker said …

Mars once had salt lakes similar to those on Earth: Study
5 years, 2 months ago

Mars once had salt lakes similar to those on Earth: Study

India TV News  

Mars once had salt lakes that went through wet and dry phases similar to those on the Earth, according to a study which indicates that the red planet's climate 'dried out' over a long time. The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, noted that over 3 billion years ago the lake that was present in Gale Crater -- an …

Mars orbiter finds first evidence of ancient groundwater system on Red Planet, say scientists
5 years, 10 months ago

Mars orbiter finds first evidence of ancient groundwater system on Red Planet, say scientists

India TV News  

Scientists say they have found the first geological evidence of a system of ancient interconnected lakes that once lay deep beneath the surface of Mars, five of which may contain minerals essential for life. According to researchers from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, Mars appears to be an arid world, but its surface shows compelling signs that large amounts of …

Liquid water 'lake' revealed on Mars 科学家在火星上发现液态水体
6 years, 4 months ago

Liquid water 'lake' revealed on Mars 科学家在火星上发现液态水体

China Daily  

Liquid water 'lake' revealed on Mars 科学家在火星上发现液态水体 Play audio file 研究人员们发现了火星上存在液态水体的证据。这片被科学家认作是湖的水体位于该行星南极的冰盖底部，横跨约二十公里（十二英里）。 文字稿 Since Nasa's Viking Mission tested Martian soil samples back in the 1970s, we've known the surface of Mars to be a desert – inhospitable to life as we know it. 自美国航空航天局（Nasa）在1970年代检测了由维京号计划从火星带回的土壤以来，火星表面一片荒芜且不适于生命生存这一道理就已为人熟知。但当火星勘探任务重点转向地表之下的时候，就有另一番景象开始浮出水面。 This discovery of water beneath the planet's South Pole is the result of radar echoes that were …

Liquid water 'lake' revealed on Mars 科学家在火星上发现液态水体
6 years, 4 months ago

Liquid water 'lake' revealed on Mars 科学家在火星上发现液态水体

China Daily  

Liquid water 'lake' revealed on Mars 科学家在火星上发现液态水体 Play audio file 研究人员们发现了火星上存在液态水体的证据。这片被科学家认作是湖的水体位于该行星南极的冰盖底部，横跨约二十公里（十二英里）。 文字稿 Since Nasa's Viking Mission tested Martian soil samples back in the 1970s, we've known the surface of Mars to be a desert – inhospitable to life as we know it. 自美国航空航天局（Nasa）在1970年代检测了由维京号计划从火星带回的土壤以来，火星表面一片荒芜且不适于生命生存这一道理就已为人熟知。但当火星勘探任务重点转向地表之下的时候，就有另一番景象开始浮出水面。 This discovery of water beneath the planet's South Pole is the result of radar echoes that were …

Lake of water detected on Mars raises hope of life beneath the surface
6 years, 5 months ago

Lake of water detected on Mars raises hope of life beneath the surface

The Telegraph  

A 12-mile long lake of liquid water has been detected under the polar ice caps of Mars, raising hopes that life could exist beneath the surface. Scientists operating ground-penetrating radar on board the European Space Agency’s Mars Express spacecraft, which is orbiting the red planet, announced the finding on Wednesday, ending decades of speculation. The huge body of water exists …

Life on Mars a possibility after discovery of first-ever liquid water lake
6 years, 5 months ago

Life on Mars a possibility after discovery of first-ever liquid water lake

India Today  

The new revelation takes space enthusiasts' excitement to a next level. Boffins have discovered the first-ever liquid water lake on Mars and is thought to be the largest body of liquid water ever found on the Red Planet. New findings from Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter provide the strongest evidence yet that liquid water flows intermittently on present-day Mars. - Orosei …

Mars: Evidence detected of lake beneath planet’s surface
6 years, 5 months ago

Mars: Evidence detected of lake beneath planet’s surface

CNN  

Story highlights New radar detections suggest a subsurface lake on Mars CNN — A lake of liquid water has been detected by radar beneath the southern polar ice cap of Mars, according to a new study by Italian researchers from the Italian Space Agency, published Wednesday in the journal Science. It sent radar pulses through the surface and polar ice …

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