Jivatman
03-03-2009, 01:21 AM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/space/4927467/mars-discovery-suggests-water-on-planet-1m-years-ago.html
fta:
the discovery increases the chances of life existing on the planet in the recent past, or even surviving today.
scientists identified the gullies inside a crater that appear to be not more than 1.25 million years old.
they believe the channels must have been sculpted by surface water from melting ice.
...
professor james head, from brown university in rhode island, usa, who with colleagues reported on the discovery in the journal geology, said: "we think there was recent water on mars. this is a big step in the direction to proving that."
the finding follows discoveries of water-bearing minerals such as opals and carbonates on mars.
now, it appears the dating is done solely from the age of the crater, 1.25m. i imagine accurately dating the gulleys themselves may be impossible without visiting them.
but please consider the momentousness of this, anyhow. 1 million years, in geological terms, is a very short period of time for earth. for a supposedly dead planet, it's a blink of an eye.
now, the reason i am posting this, of course, is because loo claims that mars was inhabited in the past.
i believe the date they specify for the end of martian 3rd density habitability is 75,000 years ago. if i'm wrong, i would like someone to correct me on this. i also did a cursory glance through the boriska material and am not sure if he dates it.
fta:
the discovery increases the chances of life existing on the planet in the recent past, or even surviving today.
scientists identified the gullies inside a crater that appear to be not more than 1.25 million years old.
they believe the channels must have been sculpted by surface water from melting ice.
...
professor james head, from brown university in rhode island, usa, who with colleagues reported on the discovery in the journal geology, said: "we think there was recent water on mars. this is a big step in the direction to proving that."
the finding follows discoveries of water-bearing minerals such as opals and carbonates on mars.
now, it appears the dating is done solely from the age of the crater, 1.25m. i imagine accurately dating the gulleys themselves may be impossible without visiting them.
but please consider the momentousness of this, anyhow. 1 million years, in geological terms, is a very short period of time for earth. for a supposedly dead planet, it's a blink of an eye.
now, the reason i am posting this, of course, is because loo claims that mars was inhabited in the past.
i believe the date they specify for the end of martian 3rd density habitability is 75,000 years ago. if i'm wrong, i would like someone to correct me on this. i also did a cursory glance through the boriska material and am not sure if he dates it.