Water is present on Mars today, but it is entirely bound up in ice because the surface is too cold for liquid water.

But evidence has been mounting that shows water once flowed across the Martian surface, potentially supporting life. While water does not mean there was life, it's a key prerequisite. picked by AutumnLotus 9 months ago

NASA's Phoenix lander may have captured the first images of liquid water on Mars - droplets that apparently splashed onto the spacecraft's leg during landing, according to some members of the Phoenix team. picked by AutumnLotus 9 months ago

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has detected snow falling from Martian clouds. Spacecraft soil experiments also have provided evidence of past interaction between minerals and liquid water, processes that occur on Earth. Mars lander makes snow angels. picked by Bornbad 1 year ago

Mars was wet in its early history, but today it appears bone dry other than ice below the surface and at the poles. Astronomers have long wondered where all the water went. The water might have been blown into space long ago by strong gusts of solar winds, new satellite observations suggest. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

NASA has announced a "significant find on Mars": That water may still be flowing on our red neighbour. Source data from the science team is here. picked by BrightonCub 3 years ago

Shifting sand dunes on ancient Mars once concealed a network of underground water spread across an area the size of Oklahoma, according to new findings from NASA's Mars rover Opportunity. picked by sharon22 6 months ago

Although many dispute that the atmosphere can support the presence of liquid water, these photos make an interesting case for it! picked by BrownTrout 2 years ago

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has just begun its science mission, and one of the first targets is Victoria Crater, where the rover Opportunity has just arrived after nearly 1000 sols on Mars.

The photos, using the largest interplanetary telescope ever lofted, are truly amazing.

See comments for links to original imagery. picked by Fanatic 3 years ago

The longstanding mystery of how oceans once formed on Mars could be solved by fire and brimstone. Specifically, researchers now suggest that ancient volcanoes could have released brimstone — now more commonly known as sulfur — that warmed up the red planet enough for liquid water oceans in the early days of Mars. These findings might also shed insight on the young Earth, including the ... read full post picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

After decades of studying the climate conditions of Mars, scientists have recently made a breakthrough observation. Adrian Brown's team found a substantial amount of ephemeral (short lived) water ice in the polar regions of Mars. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has discovered evidence of an ancient volcanic explosion at "Home Plate," a plateau of layered bedrock approximately 2 meters (6 feet) high within the "Inner Basin" of Columbia Hills, at the rover's landing site in Gusev Crater. picked by AutumnLotus 3 years ago

A giant subsurface reservoir of nearly pure water ice has been discovered on the Southern pole of Mars. It contains enough water to blanket the planet 30 feet deep if melted. picked by BrownTrout 3 years ago

For the first time, direct evidence of lightning has been detected on Mars, say University of Michigan researchers who found signs of electrical discharges during dust storms on the Red Planet. picked by AutumnLotus 5 months ago

Have Mars landers been destroying signs of life? Instead of identifying chemicals that could point to life, NASA's robot explorers may have been toasting them by mistake. picked by bornbad 6 months ago

Nasa is to launch a spacecraft on a nine-month journey to Mars, where it will dig below the surface for clues to the existence of past or present life. picked by pjanaway 2 years ago

The groundbreaking discovery was made after analysis of instruments on the US-European Cassini probe, the spacecraft that has been orbiting Saturn since 2004 following a 3.5 billion-kilometer (2.2 billion miles) voyage. picked by AfroMosHi 1 year ago

Scientists have long marveled over counter-intuitive properties that set water apart from other solids and liquids commonly found in nature. That is why Pablo Debenedetti and collaborators were surprised to find a highly simplified model molecule that behaves in much the same way as water, a discovery that upends long-held beliefs about what makes water so special. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

The Mars rover Spirit has uncovered the strongest evidence yet that the planet used to be wetter than previously thought. picked by AutumnLotus 3 years ago

Water on Mars was once widespread and long-lasting, providing environments with the potential to support life, a new study finds. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

Fossil microbes found along an iron-rich river in Spain reveal how signs of life could be preserved in minerals found on Mars. The discovery may help to equip the next generation Mars rover with the tools it would need to find evidence of past life on the planet. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago