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Nasa’s discovery of water on Mars “points to environments that could potentially be habitable to certain kinds of bacteria”, according to an expert.
Scientists said today in the journal Nature Geoscience that long, dark streaks found on the Martian terrain consisted of mineral salts that easily absorb moisture, and that flowing water on the surface is the likeliest explanation for their appearance.
Salt lowers the freezing point of water, and scientists say that would point to seasonal briny flows as the cause of the streaks, or Recurring Stroke Lineae (RSL).
‘Our findings strongly support the hypothesis that recurring slope lineae [the long streaks] form as a result of contemporary water activity on Mars,’ read the study.
‘Water is essential to life as we know it. The presence of liquid water on Mars today has astrobiological, geologic and hydrologic implications and may affect future human exploration.’
Speaking to the Guardian, lead scientist on Nasa’s Mars explanation programme Michael Meyer said:
‘There is liquid water on the surface of Mars. Because of this, we suspect that it is at least possible to have a habitable environment today.’
Doug McCuistion, the former head of Nasa’s Mars programme, previously said in an interview with the Boston Herald that the discovery of ‘accessible, freely-flowing liquid water’ on the Red Planet would have ‘massive implications both for the potential for life on that planet and sustainability of humans.’
‘It might be the game-changing trigger for both finding life and hurrying up and getting people to Mars.’
It has previously been known that there was frozen water on Mars.
Agencies/Canadajournal
