- WHY IT MATTERS: Cornell University's Steve Squyres, the principal investigator for NASA's Mars Rovers mission, says the silica finding turns a spotlight on an important site that may contain preserved traces of ancient Martian life.
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NASA A Martian sunset at Gusev Crater photographed by the Spirit rover
NASA's Spirit rover has detected silica-rich deposits on Mars, researchers reported in a study that provides the data and analysis underlying this discovery.
Extensive deposits of nearly pure silica – either as quartz or opal – are typically signs of geochemical processes that involve water.
The findings lend support to the idea that relatively large amounts of liquid water once existed on Mars.
Source:
Audio excerpt from the weekly podcast of the journal Science.
