Liquid Water on Mars

Figure 1: The Slope Lineae

There have been many discoveries in this past year of 2015, but perhaps one of the most significant of all was the discovery of liquid water on Mars. A phenomenon called the ‘recurring slope lineae’ (shown in figure 1) was being inspected when liquid water was found. The recurring slope lineae are small lines that appear and disappear depending on the seasons on Mars. This odd occurrence spurred scientists to dig deeper and deeper into the phenomenon, eventually striking “space gold”--briny, liquid water. The slope lineae were confirmed by the Mars Reconnaissance (figure 2), a spacecraft that is meant to explore Mars from its orbit. Even though liquid water is an incredible breakthrough, it may not provide as much proof of extra-terrestrial life that some were hoping for. As CNN reporter Michael Pearson says in this article, “The discovery doesn't by itself offer evidence of life on Mars, either past or present, it does boost hopes that the harsh landscape still offers some refuge for microbes…”. 

Figure 2: The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

Though it does not provide definitive proof of extraterrestrials, the implications of this discovery are out of this world. When technology progresses further and further into the future, scientists may find more liquid water on other planets, which could serve to find microbial aliens or even intelligent life somewhere else in the solar system. Sticking to the planet of Mars itself, this could be just the first in a mass of evidence pointing to past (and possible present) life on Mars, however small or unintelligent it may be. Though I, personally, do not believe in a pop-culture style alien (such as this), I think non-human (or at least non-Earth) life could come in the form of bacteria or microbes. Water, especially in liquid form, is a haven for small, unintelligent lifeforms and may prove as a breeding ground for something far more advanced in the distant future. Looking to the future, if any life is able to thrive off of or within the salty water on Mars, it will be discovered in 2020, when NASA is sending a rover to the red planet to collect and analyze the liquid on the planet. 

 Bibliography: 

Pearson, Michael. "Liquid Water Exists on Mars, Boosting Hopes for Life There, NASA Says." Cnn.com. CNN, 29 Sept. 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.

Redd, Nola Taylor. "Water on Mars: Exploration & Evidence." Space.com. Purch, 7 Oct. 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.

Wall, Mike. "The Martian" and Reality: How NASA Will Get Astronauts to Mars." Space.com. Purch, 02 Oct. 2015. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.

Wall, Mike. "Water on Mars Could Help Put Astronaut Boots on Red   Planet." Space.com. Purch, 29 Sept. 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.

Witze, Alexandra. "Year in Review: Best Evidence Yet for Water on Mars." Science News. Society for Science & the Public, 15 Dec. 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.