Is there life on Mars? NASA announces liquid water discovered

John Grunsfeld, from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, said that the findings suggest that it would be possible for life to exist on Mars today.

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter didn’t actually observe flowing rivers or waterfalls, it found recurring dark streaks on the Martian surface which were found to have salts in them.

The intermittent flows, formally called Recurring Slope Linae (RSL), are streams of salty water seen flowing down the planet’s surface as Mars warms seasonally. “When most people talk about water on Mars, they’re usually talking about ancient water or frozen water“, he said. The salty water then flows downhill on the planet’s sloping geological features and leaves a darkish mark on the surface.

However, the more thrilling part of this announcement was lead Mars Exploration Program scientist Michael Meyer’s follow-up with The Guardian, in which he declared: “There is liquid water today on the surface of Mars…”

“Water is an essential ingredient for life”, Mary Beth Wilhelm of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View said.

Salts like magnesium perchlorate, sodium perchlorate and magnesium chlorate are believed to be present in the “water”, which prevents water from freezing at extreme low temperatures.

The next question is: from where does the water come? NASA plans to send American astronauts on the red planet in the mid-2030s, and the presence of water is expected to make the trip easier and less expensive.

“Mars is not the dry, arid planet we thought of in the past”, Jim Green, NASA’s planetary science director, told a press conference.

Photos from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show dark streaks flowing down Martian slopes.

Gregory Ojakangas, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Physics at Drury University who also works for NASA, said it’s likely we’ll find at least microscopic life on the Red Planet.

There is still a mystery around the source of the water.

This discovery raises the chances of Mars being home to a few form of life.

Does this water on Mars discovery mean that life exists?