The long-standing mantra about Mars has been to follow the water. But scientists have gone beyond that in an attempt to figure out where the water came from and how long it lasted.
A new study published in Science suggests Mars’ ancient past may have had a more massive atmosphere billions of years ago than it does today, with an active hydrosphere capable of storing water in long-lived lakes.
Researchers believe water helped fill Gale Crater, the rover Curiosity’s landing site, with sediment deposited as layers that formed the foundation for the mountain found in the middle of the crater.
We have tended to think of Mars as being simple...Something is missing somewhere.
, Professor of Geology atCaltech
