Scientists have found evidence that suggests Mars once had a huge ocean. China's Zhurong rover, which was launched by the Chinese National Space Administration in 2020, discovered buried beaches on the Red Planet. 

Advertisment

Various Mars exploration programmes have provided extensive evidence of water on the Martian surface. They have found valley networks, and the presence of sedimentary rocks suggested that the red planet once had flowing rivers. 

Also read: The Great Wall of China is older than previously thought, say archaeologists

Scientists have analysed below-ground imaging data from China's Zhurong rover, which was active on Mars from 2021 to 2022, and have published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday (Feb 24)

Advertisment

The new paper titled, "Ancient ocean coastal deposits imaged on Mars", mentioned that various observations suggest that large amounts of liquid water once existed on the Martian surface, however, the nature and fate of this water are uncertain. The paper says that Mars had a warm and wet period for perhaps tens of millions of years. 

Also read: Scientists observe exotic ice that could exist on alien planets for the first time

"Through radar data gathered by the Zhurong Rover, we identify extensive dipping deposits in the subsurface of southern Utopia Planitia. These deposits have structures similar to those of Earth’s coastal sediments. This finding implies the past existence of a large water body, supporting the hypothesis of a past ocean in the northern plains of Mars," the authors said. 

Advertisment

Also read: Study suggests yoghurt may help reduce risk of specific colon cancers

Benjamin Cardinas, a sediment geologist at Penn State and one of the coauthors, told Mashable that the presence of an ocean means this location was at least habitable. 

"Scientists who study the origin of life really do think that one of the main places that it might have started is along beaches not so different from what we think we saw here. You've got shallow water, you've got air, you've got lands, and it's these interfaces where scientists who study this thing think that life probably cropped up on Earth in the first place," Cardinas added. 

Also read: Climate change is changing behaviour of crocodiles: Study

Missions are underway in search of signs of life on Mars, but there's currently no definitive evidence to support the theory. However, findings from some missions, such as the Perseverance rover, suggest that in the planet's past and present environments, life could have existed or may still exist there.

(With inputs from agencies)