Water in Mars’ Mantle Raises Possibility it Sustained Life

Water in Mars’ Mantle Raises Possibility it Sustained Life

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The amount of water in places of the Martian mantle is vastly larger than previous estimates and is similar to that of Earth’s, scientists have found. The finding is based on the analysis of the water content of two Martian meteorites originating from inside the Red Planet. The results not only affect what we know about the geologic history of Mars, but also have implications for how water got to the Martian surface. The data raise the possibility that Mars could have sustained life. Until now, Earth was the only planet known to have vast reservoirs of water in its interior.