Several previous studies had suggested that Mars, now dry and desolate had a healthy water system on its surface. However, Mars was once supposed to be fertile as the earth around 3.7 billion years ago, and now, images sent by NASA's Perseverance Rover have suggested evidence of a flooded Jezero crater on the Red Planet.
Did NASA confirm Martian flooding?
NASA's Perseverance Rover had recently sent some images of the Martian terrain, and some of them suggested that the Jezero crater was once prone to flash floods. According to researchers, the Martian atmosphere was thick enough to preserve water as rivers around 3.7 billion years ago, and it eventually resulted in the formation of a fan-shaped Delta.
The research report noted that the image of the tiny outcrop is supposed to be a river delta that fed into a lake. Eventually, due to global warming effects, flash floods resulted in this region, before everything eventually dried up.
"If you look at these images, you're basically staring at this epic desert landscape. It's the most forlorn place you could ever visit. There's not a drop of water anywhere, and yet, here we have evidence of a very different past. Something very profound happened in the planet's history," said Benjamin Weiss, professor of planetary sciences in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences.
Alien life on Mars?
As evidence surrounding the existence of water on ancient Mars getting substantiated, several top scientists believe that the Red Planet might have hosted alien life in the ancient past.
A few months back, top NASA scientist Jim Green had also predicted that signs of alien life will be discovered on Mars by 2021. However, Green made it clear that humans are not ready to accept the realities surrounding the existence of extraterrestrial life.
Earlier, a study conducted by researchers led by Regina Dass, a researcher at the Molecular Fungal Genetics and Mycotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry, India had claimed that alien life does exist on Mars even now. After analyzing pictures takes by NASA's Curiosity rover, the study team claimed to have spotted algae, lichens, and mushrooms.
