New evidence of the existence of water on Mars in the past was revealed by scientists after analyzing data obtained from the Curiosity rover. The most valuable information confirming the existence of the lakes was revealed during the study of rocky formations on the Red Planet.
It turned out that Martian rocks contain minerals such as hematite, clay and boron. Most of these minerals are at higher levels, while the lower layers contain much less minerals. According to the new hypothesis, scientists believe that the presence of a richer composition in the upper layers indicates that they were brought there by water and immediately accumulated there over time.
In addition, minerals have also been found in cracks where water appears to have seeped into mineral veins. Similar veins on Earth are formed when water seeps into cracks in the ground, leaving corresponding minerals in them.
John Grotsinger, a member of the Curiosity scientific team at the California Institute of Technology, noted that despite the strong variability in the layers of rock formations on Mars at different altitudes, and evidence of the presence of water on the planet in the past, no official evidence of the existence of life on Mars has been found .
However, today scientists can confidently say that conditions on Mars have undergone significant changes over time. As proof, they point to the presence of hematite on the planet, a mineral that is formed when precipitation falls. Boron, which Curiosity discovered on Mars relatively recently, is considered an equally interesting find.
The presence of this element in rocks testifies to the 100% existence of water on the planet in the past – boron on Earth is formed when vast areas filled with water evaporate. All this points to the incredibly dynamic nature of the planet and the tragic events that accompanied the historical past of Mars.
Sources: Itech
