Unearthing Mars' watery past: NASA's Perseverance Rover reveals signs of ancient river flow
In a remarkable discovery, NASA's Perseverance Rover has uncovered compelling evidence pointing to a history of flowing water on Mars, reigniting the tantalising possibility that the red planet once cradled rivers and oceans. While the definitive quest for signs of extraterrestrial life on Mars continues, scientists are increasingly embracing the notion that Mars was once a wet world, potentially fostering conditions suitable for life millions of years ago.
A recently released image, captured by Perseverance's Mastcam-Z camera, showcases an intriguing assemblage of rocks and pebbles scattered across Mars' Jezero Crater. The specific location, dubbed 'Castell Henllys,' provides a glimpse into the distant past, revealing rocks and pebbles transported by formidable floodwaters billions of years ago.
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Key objectives of the Perseverance mission include ventures into Astrobiology, seeking conclusive evidence of life beyond our own planet. While the image doesn't depict antenna-bearing aliens reminiscent of popular media, the potential discovery of microorganisms or their fossilised remnants on Mars would constitute a groundbreaking revelation.
Simultaneously, the rover diligently collects pristine samples from the Martian surface, with NASA intending to scrutinise these rocks and soils up close. The space agency envisions future collaborative missions with the European Space Agency (ESA) to send spacecraft to Mars, retrieve these sealed samples, and bring them back to Earth for in-depth analysis.
The quest for water on distant planets finds its rationale in Earth's own history. After an initial lifeless phase, our planet saw the emergence of life in the form of microorganisms in water,
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