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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- Anthony Linover 14 yearsTest
- Anthony Linover 14 yearsScientests think that the red planet had water. The surface of the planet had valleys that might be weathering and eroisian on the planet. And the Mariner 9 spacecraft got a picture of the planets surface, and the space craft got a picture of the valleys. Scientests think that the planet Mars got rain just like Earth. And the N.S.A. made a picture of Mars and the scientests think their was once life on the plant Mars.
- Ambika Sharmaover 14 yearsScientists think that there was once erosion on Mars. One example that made them think that there is erosion on Mars is that scientists found that there are dozens of valleys on Mars. That is more than twice as many as they had thought before. The reason the discovery of valleys is very important is because it is proof that erosion could have happened on Mars. Scientists now belive that the increased number of valleys is proof that many years ago regular rainfall happpened on Mars. The rainfall swelled the rivers and topped the oceans just like it happens on Earth. I think the article, "Was The Red Planet Once A Lush 'Blue'? was more helpful because it had more facts on erosion than the other article did. It was also easier for me to understand.
- Estelle Brossardover 14 yearsI think that there was most likely an erosian on mars because the artical said that there was an average rainfall. The valleys had to be formed by erosion too. I was suprised that the "red planet" possibly used to be the "blue planet"! If I become to be a scientist, I would absulutly research about weathering and erosion more. There was a lot of erosion on mars from my opinion. I think that because of the pictures. I would recommend this to a friend because it has a lot of details. There are more words to learn. Also, if the red planet ever comes up in a class, you could give everyone a bunch of information about it. I absulutly enjoy this article article! I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did.
- maciek stuczykover 14 yearsI think there was erosion on Mars because the article said that there was average rainfall.I also think that the valleys where formed by erosion when the planet had water.I cant believe that Mars was one a blue planet.I would recommend this article to people who would like learn more about Mars
- Antonio Garciaover 14 yearsI think ersion started with the water that there was before,thats what the blue spot on mars is.I think ersion is formed by the water sinking in to the dirt and makes a little hole in between the dirt and making a moutain.The reason there is no water now is because it dried from the sun and only ersion is left.Ersion can only be formed by water .There also could have been water because of a living thing which it meant Martians and we never knew that in till scientests found out about Martians.I never knew that valleys could be important and especialy if the picture is taken in 1971, that would be cool if the picture was still in hands of the scientists,and I never knew about rainfall actually happened on mars wich is kind of cool because right now there is actually no water on mars these days.I hope the next video is just as good as this article about mars. Oh! and I forgot to say that I didn't know that the soil on mars is arid right now!
- Ella Zervakisover 14 yearsThere was probably erosion on mars because the said that there was rainfall. All the valleys came probably from erosion. In the article it said that new valley either came from erosion from surface water of erosion from what is known as the water snapping. I recommend this article to people that like mars.
- Ella Zervakisover 14 yearsI think that this article is very interesting. If there was life on Mars i wonder if the were as educated as us.It is also cool to say that there was many valleys and a giant ocean. I hope on day people can go to Mars.
- jose Pachecoover 14 yearsi have never heard of the red planet they drew a map of the red planet how did they do i belive they got a telacope that could see very far in space and the soil in the red planet is inhospitable i thought it was like the moon
- Antonio Garciaover 14 yearsI think the Red planet was once a lush blue is a cool article because I can't believe that there could have been martians mars!