Could there be life on Mars?

Scientists have found what they think may be signs of salty water, which has been spilling over the rims of craters.

They have noticed that ‘finger like' features, which are seen as formations of dark lines, fading out during winter and reappearing in the spring time.

Pictures have been taken by American Space agency – via the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. The markings can be seen on steep slopes which are just south of the Martian equator.

This could mean that we have the first evidence of liquid water on Mars, according to expert opinions on the matter. When water is found, then obviously this means that life may also be present on some level.

Co-Author Dr Alfred McEwen, from the university of Arizona said “The best explanation we have for these observations so far is flow of briny water, although this study does not prove that”.

According to opinions on the matter, the water may not be moving over the ground, but it could be buried and therefore changing the surface making it appear darker.

Student Lujendra Ojha from the University of Arizona was the first to spot the features, he said “I was baffled when I first saw those features … we soon realised they were different from slope streaks that had been observed before.

‘These were highly seasonal, and we observed some of them had grown by more than 200 metres in a matter of just two Earth months.”

Kitguru says: Will they find Life on Mars?

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