Scientists confirm multiple salty lakes beneath Mars’ south pole, raising hopes for alien life.
Key Takeaways:
- Researchers have confirmed the existence of multiple liquid water bodies beneath Mars’ south pole.
- The discovery supports earlier findings of a large subsurface saltwater lake first detected in 2018.
- The lakes likely contain hypersaline water, which remains liquid despite Mars’ extreme cold.
- If these lakes have existed for much of Mars’ history, they could have supported microbial life.
- Future Mars missions could investigate these water bodies for signs of past or present life.
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Scientists have confirmed the existence of multiple liquid water bodies beneath the surface of Mars, strengthening the possibility that the planet may have once harbored life. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, build on a 2018 discovery of a large underground lake beneath Mars’ south pole. Researchers now report that this lake is part of a larger system of interconnected saltwater lakes.
A Breakthrough in the Search for Life
The discovery was made using the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS), an instrument aboard the European Space Agency’s Mars Express spacecraft. MARSIS sends radar pulses that penetrate Mars’ ice caps and return signals that help scientists analyze subsurface structures.
In 2018, researchers detected what appeared to be a vast saltwater lake beneath the Martian south pole. However, some experts questioned whether the data conclusively proved the presence of liquid water. To confirm their findings, a team led by Elena Pettinelli from Roma Tre University applied techniques used to study subglacial lakes in Antarctica. Their new analysis confirmed the existence of the original lake and revealed three additional liquid water bodies nearby.
The lakes appear to be composed of hypersaline brine, which contains high concentrations of salt, preventing the water from freezing despite the harsh Martian climate.
Implications for Mars’ History and Potential Life
The discovery suggests that liquid water may have been present on Mars for much of its history. If true, these lakes could contain evidence of microbial life that once thrived when Mars had a thicker atmosphere and a more Earth-like climate.
Roberto Orosei, principal investigator of the MARSIS experiment, noted that while a single lake could be explained by unique geological conditions, the presence of multiple lakes suggests a common and persistent formation process. This raises the possibility that liquid water reservoirs have existed on Mars for billions of years.
Beyond the search for life, the discovery has significant implications for planetary protection. Future Mars missions must take precautions to avoid contaminating these water bodies with Earth-based microbes. Scientists also stress the need for further exploration to study Mars’ chemistry and determine whether any biological activity has ever occurred in these lakes.
The findings mark a major step forward in understanding Mars’ hidden water reserves and bring scientists closer to answering one of the most profound questions in planetary science—could life exist beyond Earth?
