Popular Post Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 28, 2015 Popular Post #1 Share Posted September 28, 2015 NASA Confirms Evidence That Liquid Water Flows on Today’s Mars New findings from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provide the strongest evidence yet that liquid water flows intermittently on present-day Mars.Using an imaging spectrometer on MRO, researchers detected signatures of hydrated minerals on slopes where mysterious streaks are seen on the Red Planet. These darkish streaks appear to ebb and flow over time. They darken and appear to flow down steep slopes during warm seasons, and then fade in cooler seasons. They appear in several locations on Mars when temperatures are above minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 23 Celsius), and disappear at colder times. “Our quest on Mars has been to ‘follow the water,’ in our search for life in the universe, and now we have convincing science that validates what we’ve long suspected,” said John Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “This is a significant development, as it appears to confirm that water -- albeit briny -- is flowing today on the surface of Mars.” Read more... 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erowin Posted September 28, 2015 #2 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Wow! I always wondered when they would be able to confirm the existence of current water on Mars. All the past findings seemed to be leading up to this moment! It would be cool if we could get a sample. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immune to Bieberfever Posted September 28, 2015 #3 Share Posted September 28, 2015 This is unbelievable, so i guess the next question is not amnymore: Is there life in our solar system, But is there intelligent Life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted September 28, 2015 #4 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I might actually consider signing up to Mars One now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 28, 2015 Author #5 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Wow! I always wondered when they would be able to confirm the existence of current water on Mars. That water still existed on Mars was known for a long time but it was believed that it could only exist in ice or vapour form. The atmospheric pressure is so low on Mars that it was believed that water would sublime (that is go straight from solid stater to gaseous without becoming a liquid). This is in fact the case for pure water. The liquid water that has been discovered is incrdibly salty such that it alters the freezing and boing points sufficiently that it can remain liquid. It would be cool if we could get a sample. That may prove difficult, the recurring slope lineae, where this water flows, are found on the steep slopes of craters where landers and rovers would find it difficult to go. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeastieRunner Posted September 28, 2015 #6 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Crazy times! That's really cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZDZ Posted September 28, 2015 #7 Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) Congratulations NASA! You've discovered what the "crackpots" have known for years. Edited September 28, 2015 by AZDZ 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTWind Posted September 28, 2015 #8 Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) So whats to say there isnt a liquid ocean of salt water beneath the surface comparitive to the body of water found beneath the desert in China. It seems to me water is the norm on any planetary body. Edited September 28, 2015 by FTWind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 28, 2015 Author #9 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Whilst it's not impossible that Mars has underground oceans it is highly unlikely. Large bodies of salty water would cause tell tale fluctuations in the Martian magnetic field. Even though the Martian magnetic field is very weak it has been studied for many years. No such evidence has been discovered. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted September 28, 2015 #10 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Nice announcement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperdyer Posted September 28, 2015 #11 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Great announcement! Maybe a small fresh water aquifer can be found, or would that cause the same magnetic field disruptions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 28, 2015 Author #12 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Great announcement! Maybe a small fresh water aquifer can be found, or would that cause the same magnetic field disruptions? I don't know, but is it water to support human exploration you are after there is plenty of ice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetpumper Posted September 28, 2015 #13 Share Posted September 28, 2015 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted September 28, 2015 #14 Share Posted September 28, 2015 . That may prove difficult, the recurring slope lineae, where this water flows, are found on the steep slopes of craters where landers and rovers would find it difficult to go. Well hello Mr. Buzzkill Whilst it's not impossible that Mars has underground oceans it is highly unlikely. Large bodies of salty water would cause tell tale fluctuations in the Martian magnetic field. Even though the Martian magnetic field is very weak it has been studied for many years. No such evidence has been discovered. Mr. Buzzkill again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted September 28, 2015 #15 Share Posted September 28, 2015 This is unbelievable, so i guess the next question is not amnymore: Is there life in our solar system, But is there intelligent Life? Well, not yet. Although water makes it more likely that life existed on Mars, it hardly proves it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 28, 2015 Author #16 Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) Well hello Mr. Buzzkill Mr. Buzzkill again Facts are facts. They are what they are. They don't exist to make you happy. Edited to add: Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger. I didn't create the reality, I only described it. Edited September 28, 2015 by Waspie_Dwarf 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted September 28, 2015 #17 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Well, not yet. Although water makes it more likely that life existed on Mars, it hardly proves it. Well hello Mr Buzzkill... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XenoFish Posted September 28, 2015 #18 Share Posted September 28, 2015 There could always be water filled caverns within the deeps of mars. I wonder if there is a potential life form within the waters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codenwarra Posted September 28, 2015 #19 Share Posted September 28, 2015 How unsurprising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 28, 2015 Author #20 Share Posted September 28, 2015 How unsurprising. If you think it is unsurprising then you really don't understand the chemistry involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaturtlehorsesnake Posted September 28, 2015 #21 Share Posted September 28, 2015 i think it's remarkable. people seem to forget that speculation and evidence are very different things. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted September 28, 2015 #22 Share Posted September 28, 2015 It had been speculated that it could happen,observation seem to suggest it was happening, and now there is solid evidence that it is, indeed happening. It's a nice fact to have finally nailed down. Now it must be determined what the source is, a layer of some sort of Martian permafrost, perhaps? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 28, 2015 Author #23 Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) Now it must be determined what the source is, a layer of some sort of Martian permafrost, perhaps? That seems highly probable as this water only flows in the warm seasons and stops again in the colder seasons. Edited September 28, 2015 by Waspie_Dwarf 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qxcontinuum Posted September 28, 2015 #24 Share Posted September 28, 2015 funnily Nasa came to a conclusion i knew years ago and some which I expressed here (see post number 8) and read here on wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_on_Mars http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=279458 Amazing ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted September 29, 2015 #25 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Liquid water might indicate the conditions for life might have once existed on Mars and might still persist underground, if the speculated underground aquifers are there, but that's only half the equation. Since the process by which inanimate matter becomes living matter has yet to be described, we've no way of knowing whether those conditions were present on Mars and if life, indeed, resulted. We'll just have to keep looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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