NASA: Liquid water may flow on Mars

Story from The Takeaway. Listen to audio above for full report.

Recent photos from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal possible signs of liquid water on Mars. The flow, NASA states, appears to be seasonal — ebbing higher in the warmer seasons and drying out in winter.

“Warm,” though, is a relative term. Since the average surface temperature on Mars is about -58 degrees, NASA hypothesizes that the water is very briny and full of salt ions in order for it to be liquid at such a freezing cold.

Scientists have already known that Mars has frozen water on its surface near the polar ice caps, but the possibility of liquid water is very significant to the future of space research. 

“All life on Earth requires liquid water to survive and we think life elswhere in the universe probably would too,” said Clara Moscowitz, senior writer for Space.com.

The possible amount of liquid water on the Red Planet is not enough to act as a reservoir for Earth or as a “fueling station” for interstellar transport. But the possibility that this water might contain life is crucial. Not only could Martian life point to the potential for life throughout the cosmos, but it could also help scientists track how life began on Earth.

Despite the optimism, NASA still needs more proof.

“We still need a lot more evidence to confirm that this is water,” Moscowitz said. “We need closer, better, more-detailed pictures.”

————————————————————–

“The Takeaway” is a national morning news program, delivering the news and analysis you need to catch up, start your day, and prepare for what’s ahead. The show is a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC, The New York Times Radio, and WGBH.