NASA Mars news: liquid water discovered by Orbiter; is there life on the Red Planet?

• comments
• 
• 

NASA has recently provided a breaking Mars mission news and it involves the possibility of life on the Red Planet! Well, there are still no details about extra-terrestrial beings but as liquid water is essential for life, then its discovery in another planet is definitely something to be curious about. The exciting discovery was announced on NASA TV last Monday, sending the science world in a frenzy because it can boost the odds of life in another planet, Space reports.

"Under certain circumstances, liquid water has been found on Mars" - Jim Green, NASA Planetary Science Director https://t.co/MvErxberG3

— NASA (@NASA) September 28, 2015

"These are dark streaks that form in late spring, grow through the summer & disappear in the fall" #MarsAnnouncement https://t.co/Q9wcpY28dn — NASA (@NASA) September 28, 2015

Director James L. Green of the planetary division tells in a press conference that there is still no signs as to whether there is life on Mars but with the discovery of water, the team will be able to investigate other locations thoroughly, The New York Times reports. John M. Grusfeld, the associate administrator for science, shares that a spacecraft will be sent in one if the regions in the year 2020 to look for life. He adds that he believes it will be given high priority now that water has been discovered.

The water was discovered by using an imager on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, CNN writes. It showed watery flows based on the light waves received from seasonal, black streaks. The Orbiter showed that the streaks were able to absorb light at certain wavelengths, a process called deliquescence. This allows the water to remain in liquid form at low temperature but also prevents it from boiling off in the hot and thin Mars atmosphere.

No details have been provided as to where the water came from but the researchers have theorized that it could be due to melting ice, liquid water aquifer and the process of deliquescence. Lead scientist Michael Meyer shares that looking for the cause of the phenomenon is what the researchers will study next.

Although this is not the first time water was seen on the Red Planet, this is the first time it has been seen in liquid form. It remains to be identified and studied as to whether this discovery will up the possibility of life although most of the researchers believe it will. Mary Beth Wilhelm, one of the researchers, suggests that the more habitable conditions have definitely increased the chances.