Martian meteorite provides further evidence of liquid water on the Red Planet
NASA researchers examining a 13-kg meteorite from Mars have discovered curved micro-tunnels that are consistent with moving water. The 1.3-billion-year-old Martian rock, found 14 years ago in the Yamato Glacier in Antarctica, is believed to have landed in Antarctica some 50,000 years ago. It contains a distinct mixture of trapped gases that identify it as extra-terrestrial, and its mineral composition reveals its Martian origin.
“The unique features displayed within the Martian meteorite Yamato 000593 are evidence of aqueous alterations as seen in the clay minerals and the presence of carbonaceous matter associated with the clay phases which show that Mars has been a very active body in its past,” said NASA’s Everett Gibson. “The planet is revealing the presence of an active water reservoir that may also have a significant carbon component.”
Lauren White, based at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, explained that the discovery of evidence of historic Martian water flows could be found on Earth, rather than the Red Planet: “While robotic missions to Mars continue to shed light on the planet’s history, the only samples from Mars available for study on Earth are Martian meteorites.”
source: Stephanie Boyd/One News Page