Existing comment:
Water On Mars: Is the Red Planet Blue?
Past:
Speculation dates back hundreds of years: is there water on Mars? As early as 1784, astronomer William Hershel used telescopic findings to claim that the dark surfaces he saw on Mars's surface were oceans. Though Hershel was incorrect about the planet having oceans, recent discoveries do support that Mars has been host to liquid water. Riverbeds, craters, and gullies on the planet's surface support the idea that there was once flowing water on the surface, perhaps billions of years ago.
Present:
Today, water exists on Mars in the form of ice. There are massive sheets of ice under the planet's surface at higher latitudes. A combination of just the right temperature and protection from the ground cover keeps the ice from evaporating into water vapor. Researchers regularly monitor Mars's ice. Findings as recent as September 2015 suggest that there may be some liquid water that continues to flow on the planet.
Future:
If there is indeed liquid water on Mars, is life sustainable? Though recent evidence suggests liquid water on Mars, the planet will not be hosting human life anytime soon. In addition to water, humans need a more hospitable climate and oxygen to breath, neither of which Mars offers. Though maintaining human life is not yet a possibility on Mars, discovery of liquid water gives researchers hope to find forms of life that may exist on the planet. |