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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Photo: Mars Was Warm, Wet, May Have Hosted Life, Study Says


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A delta is seen in Mars's Jezero Crater, where scientists say ancient rivers once ferried claylike minerals (green) into a lake. The clays were then trapped by rocks (purple).

A July 2008 analysis of the clays suggests early Mars was a warm and wet place—a perfect host for the development of life.

Image courtesy NASA/JPL/JHUAPL/MSSS/Brown University