Seasonal Floods on Mars: A Promising Environment for Life Emergence
The Mars rover Curiosity has discovered evidence of seasonal floods on Mars, indicating that at least one part of the planet went through wet/dry cycles. The rover found hundreds of hexagonal-shaped rock deposits in Gale Crater, dating back to Mars' wet Hesperian period. These hexagons, formed by mud drying out and creating cracks, suggest repeated flooding events. The chemistry of the rocks supports this, with deposits of calcium and magnesium sulfates indicating the presence of water. This new evidence helps scientists understand the past environment of Mars and its potential for supporting life.