Curiosity Finds Old Streambed

[gOOgLer]

4,5 billion years is a very long time for Mars. There is some probability that once there was some sort of life on it. There is some probability that even today there is some form of life on it. Or are we just looking for human intelligence.

[pallidin]

4,5 billion years is a very long time for Mars. There is some probability that once there was some sort of life on it. There is some probability that even today there is some form of life on it. Or are we just looking for human intelligence.

I presume, without knowledge, that life on the surface or close sub-surface of Mars would have died a long tine ago(cosmic radiation).

However, I see nothing to preclude the existance of, at least, microbial life on Mars much, much deeper, dead or alive.

[synchronomy]

that's a good question. ^

This old stream bed is on the edge of gale crater. How old is the crater, was it once a lake?

I wonder if it would be worth while heading to the lowest point and digging a few feet.

There should be no evaporation on Mars, to cold... But the permafrost might be very shallow..

Ice and snow "evaporates", it's called sublimation. That's why icecubes left in a freezer for a long time disappear. Given the low atmospheric pressure on Mars and the high winds, ice would sublime very rapidly.

However, your case is still very valid, because if significant sublimation had been occuring over a long period of time, then there would (or should) be a high concentration of water gas in the atmosphere.

It appears that if Mars at one time had significant surface water, it must have gone underground and remained there.

It's a puzzle for sure.

*edit* sorry for the repitition...I missed Waspie's post regarding sublimation.

Edited October 6, 2012 by synchronomy

[Professor T]

*edit* sorry for the repitition...I missed Waspie's post regarding sublimation.

Sweet as. We learn something new every day..

To learn it twice means it wont go away.

lol.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

WHeres all the new photos?

Do keep up DONTEATUS.

The new photos were being posted in the appropriately named New Images From Curiosity topic.

In the last post in that topic I posted this:

As Curiosity sends back more and more images, there is a danger that this tread could become too long. From now on I will be posting new Curiosity images in the Unexplained-Mysteries Space Exploration Gallery (except, of course, where an image warrants a separate topic of its own).

The Space Exploration Gallery can be found HERE.

I hope that answers your question.