🚀🌊 Big scoop from Mars! Scientists from the Chinese mainland’s Institute of Geology and Geophysics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences just dropped a study in National Science Review that could rewrite our red planet story: water stuck around up to 750 million years longer than we thought. 🤯
Zhurong, the Chinese mainland’s first Mars rover, touched down in Utopia Planitia in May 2021. Armed with a high-frequency quad-polarized ground-penetrating radar (think a Martian CT scan), it dug deep—literally—and spotted a uniform 4-meter-thick sediment layer hiding ancient craters.
“The uniform thickness and continuity of the sedimentary rule out volcanic eruptions or wind-driven processes. The only reasonable explanation is an aqueous environment at that time, similar to a shallow sea or large lake,” said Liu Yike, first and corresponding author of the study.
On top of that, centimeter-scale layered deposits point to water-based sedimentation, proving this region underwent a major resurfacing event during the middle-late Amazonian Period—750 million years later than previous models suggested. It’s like finding a secret bonus track on your fav album! 🎶🔍
By May 2022, Zhurong had rolled 1,921 meters across the Martian surface, beaming back a treasure trove of data. These insights not only deepen our understanding of Mars’ climate evolution and geological twists but also fuel the hunt for past life. 👩🔬👽
Stay tuned for more cosmic revelations as we continue to explore the red planet’s hidden chapters! 🌌🔭
Reference(s):
China's Mars rover discovers longer water existence on red planet
cgtn.com
