NASA's Curiosity Rover discovers ancient ice-free lakes on Mars Revealing evidence of liquid water

NASA's Curiosity Rover, exploring Mars since 2012, has recently discovered evidence of ancient, ice-free ponds and lakes on the planet's surface.

The rover found small, wave-like undulations resembling those found on sandy lakebeds on Earth. These ripples are believed to have been formed by wind-driven water moving across the surface, suggesting that the water was exposed to the elements rather than being covered by ice. This discovery indicates that these ripples formed around 3.7 billion years ago, Caliber.Az reports via foreing media.

Mars, the fourth planet in our Solar System, is the second smallest of the major planets. Known for its distinctive red appearance due to iron oxide on the surface, Mars has long intrigued scientists and the public alike. Though similar to Earth in some ways, with valleys, volcanoes, and dried-up riverbeds, Mars also has polar caps made primarily of carbon dioxide ice, an unbreathable atmosphere, and a cold, dry surface.

The Curiosity Rover, which landed on Mars in 2012, was sent by NASA to explore Gale Crater and investigate the planet's climate, geology, and potential for supporting primitive life. The rover is equipped with a variety of tools, including drills for collecting soil samples and instruments for analyzing atmospheric data.

In a recent study published in Science Advances, a team of scientists from Caltech, led by John Grotzinger and Michael Lamb, shared their findings of two sets of ancient wave ripples on the Martian surface. These ripples, preserved in rock, indicate that ancient bodies of water once existed on Mars. The presence of these ripples suggests that the water was not frozen and was once open to the atmosphere, making this discovery the strongest evidence to date for liquid water on the planet in its past.

By analyzing the ripples, scientists were able to estimate the size of the ancient lakes. The ripple size and spacing suggest that the lakes were shallow, likely no deeper than 2 meters. The two regions where the ripples were found, the Prow outcrop and the Amapari Marker Band, are from different time periods, indicating that Mars may have experienced multiple warm, dense atmospheric phases.

This finding significantly advances our understanding of Mars' paleoclimate, providing valuable insights into the planet's early conditions. While NASA’s Opportunity rover first discovered ripples on Mars, the Curiosity Rover’s findings confirm that liquid water may have once been widespread across the surface. Further studies are needed to explore the extent of these ancient water bodies.

By Vugar Khalilov