In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists at Los Alamos National Labs have found evidence of Earth-like environments on Mars. Since its landing in the Gale Crater along Mars’ equator in 2015, the Curiosity Rover has been exploring the surface of the red planet, with the main objective of determining whether it could potentially support life.
After analyzing data collected by the Curiosity Rover, scientists discovered that there was running water on Mars’ surface, such as rivers flowing into lakes. The rocks around the crater suggest that a lake existed in that area for an extended period of time. Images sent back from the rover reveal a vast field of manganese rocks, which are layered and flat – characteristics that suggest they formed in lakes. These rocks also contain clay minerals that can only form in water.
While water on Mars has long since disappeared, researchers believe that it is possible for microbial life to survive on the planet. Patrick Gasda, a research scientist at LANL, published his findings in the Journal of Geophysical Research, detailing the team’s observations made while working with the Curiosity Rover. Every new image from Mars provides valuable insights and prompts further scientific inquiries into the possibility of life existing on the red planet.