Was The Red Planet Once A Lush 'Blue'?
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While the soil of our favorite Red Planet may now seem arid and inhospitable- one where water is scarce or non-existent, this may not have been the case, billions of years ago.
An analysis of the images of the planet's surface using a new software technology by a team of scientists from the University of Illinois, shows evidence of dozens of valleys, more than twice as many, as was thought in the past.
This according to Professor Wei Luo, indicates that there were once a number of rivers that flowed from the planet's southern mountains and amalgamated into a giant ocean on the lower, northern end of the Planet.
The discovery of the new valleys is very important, because while their existence has been known since the Mariner 9 Spacecraft photographed them in 1971, scientists have been divided as to whether they were created by erosion from surface water (indicating rivers) or through a process of erosion known as ground water sapping - caused when water emerges as springs from the ground, a phenomenon that occurs in areas that are cold and arid.
Scientists now believe that the large number of valleys is proof that many years ago, Mars may have indeed received regular rainfall, which swelled the rivers and topped the oceans, just like it happens on Earth.
Also, thanks to the clear depiction of the valleys by the new software, the team of scientists, in collaboration with NASA, has been able to draw a more comprehensive map of the Red Planet.
The map prior to this, was created in 1990, by sketching over images of the Planet and was therefore neither very accurate, nor as detailed.
The scientists also believe that the fact that the planet had water means that it may have sustained life, meaning that Martians may have actually existed! Unfortunately, the current cold and dry conditions make that next to impossible today!
sources: independent.co.uk,sciencecodex.com,dailymail.co.uk
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128 Comments
- dennis Blankeover 14 yearsYes indeed this was interesting & unknown. Yes I think there was erosion on mars because the article said professor Wei Lou said they found rivers or lakes that leads up to a ocean. They also found valleys in the end of the planet.
- Joris Bover 14 yearsI think there there was water on mars because Mariner 9 spacecraft took a picture of the dried up river channels. Maybe there are canyon that the rivers eroded.There could of been life like plants if there was water,because plants need water to survive. I do not believe there was Martians, because martians are not real.
- Sofia Marinoover 14 yearsScientist think there was once weathering and erosion on Mars because Mariner 9 spacecraft took a photograph in 1971. There where new valleys, and spacecraft 9 is the reason they were wondering. Now scientist believe that the large number of valleys is proof that at one period of time there may have been a rainfall. I liked Was the Red Planet Once Lush Blue better because i think it has more details. That is the proof that there might have been water on Mars.
- Christian Cothamover 14 yearsIt was a lush blue from the water, just like Earth.
- Christian Cothamover 14 yearsThis article was very interesting. I think there was water on Mars, just like it said in the article. Scientists must be very smart to figure out a map of Mars, similar to our world map. Mars must have had water if there are signs of meanders and deltas.
- liethdallalover 14 yearsMillions years ago the red planet might be a lush blue. They found valleys which might form from rainfall . Scientists said they were created by erosion from surface water or erosion known as ground water sapping .The discovery of the new valleys is very important because Mariner 9 Spacecraft photographed them in 1971. This artical is helpfull to the other artical by supporting water on mars.
- Katie T.over 14 yearsI think that Mars is very intresting so is this article! I did not know until now that Mars has rivers and valleys . But if there was water on Mars there has to be erosion on Mars. END
- David P.over 14 yearsWow this was an intresting article! Now I know for sure there was really water and valleys on mars.But I think the other article was better explaining how there was once erosion on mars because if it is true that there once was water on mars then there had to be erosion as well.Also if there are streaks as the article said so then there had to be some erosion or weathering going on too.That is my evidence from the article.
- Annaover 14 yearsI think the ersion on mars is really intersting. We belive that Marthians have exestined. Today its impossibale to find out if thats real or not. In the first scentence it said there might have been water on our red planet about billions yeras ago.
- Vincent Wover 14 yearsWOW billions of years ago I never knew that