Chinese researchers claim to have discovered an ancient former ocean on Mars that may have covered as much as a third of the red planet. A Chinese rover that landed on Mars in 2021 has reportedly found evidence of the ocean’s existence while exploring the northern hemisphere in the Utopia region.
According to some scientific theories, a large ocean may have once covered Mars, and the rover may have found the edge of the ocean’s coastline. China’s Zhurong rover has been exploring the surface for years, and the new findings were recently published in the academic journal Nature as part of a new study.
The researchers who authored the study claim that the proposed ocean was created around 3.7 billion years ago but froze and disappeared after about 300 million years. However, the researchers also state that the new study is not definitive proof of an ancient ocean, saying that Martian rock samples will be needed to confirm any theories.
Scientist Benjamin Cardenas, who has studied potential Martian ocean evidence, is skeptical of the claims. He added that if the theory were true, it could answer questions about whether Mars had the ability to support life in the past.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has advocated for the human colonization of Mars, stating that it is one of his goals for his company, SpaceX.
Musk, who supported and endorsed President-elect Donald J. Trump throughout the presidential campaign, led SpaceX to recover a booster rocket last month, which could be a big step toward a Mars flight.
Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, is another advocate for getting humans to Mars. Like Musk, Aldrin also endorsed President Trump.
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