Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Was Ancient Mars Truely Habitable?


Well according to an article that Kallamis sent me, NASA's rover Opportunity has uncovered evidence that points to a very emphatic yes!    Just imagine it!  For the past ten years this stalwart rover has been doing history making research and the little rover's latest find may be the biggest yet because it seems that Opportunity has uncovered evidence that in Mars' ancient past, life indeed may have found a foot-hold.

On the rim of Mars' Endeavour Crater, Opportunity discovered clay mineral deposits in ancient rock strata.  This suggests that neutral-pH water once flowed through the area.  Water that was potable even.    It was this  neutral-pH water that generated the clays.  Though it is difficult to know precisely  when exactly this water flowed - it was most likely during the first billion years of Martian history.  

Opportunity's latest discovery dovetails nicely with recent ones made on the other side of the planet by the Curiosity rover,  which found strong evidence that its landing site could have supported microbial life, as well, in the ancient past.

For more you can read the Huffington Post science article here

The picture above shows the pale clay strata upper center of the frame                                              

 

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