Mars Might Be A Livable Planet A Few Billion Years Ago

Contrary to what we know, the existing environment on Mars in 3-4 billion years ago was not as inhabitably cold as it is today. Back then, the atmosphere was so considerably warmer with habitability that probably creates rainstorms to assist even the simplest life requirements.

According to Phys Org, such discovery was noted by a group of scientists at Purdue University, Indiana in the U.S. and was reported by Professor Briony Horgan during a conference in Barcelona called Goldschmidt Geochemistry. The scientists made a comparative analysis with different data sets, including data from our planet, data submitted by NASA CRISM spectrometer, and data by Curiosity Rover.

As such, CRISM spectrometer, after orbiting the planet, was capable of recognizing the location of water through identifying the surface chemicals. The extracted results also showed that there was an increase of warmth in the planet's climate, that facilitated the emergence of rainstorms and flowing water over the past 3-4 million years. However, the planet then experienced a cold period that froze the water.

While we all understand that Mars used to have water on its surface, there has been a continued debate about whether the water is liquid or solid. Scientists claim that Martian warmth means there might have been ongoing life on the planet's surface. As compared between the samples of mineral depositions on Earth and Mars, it can be clearly stated that the latter had at least a long duration to experience storms and flowing water before the water froze in the cold time.

Through geological analysis of the Martian surface, it is further confirmed that the planet has changed the climate from warmer to colder. However, empirical evidence from climate models does not support this as the scientists were able to record only a low amount of heat from the Sun at that time. More effort, therefore, will be needed from scientists to determine whether flowing water has ever appeared on Mars.