NASA robot captures 'living ocean' on Mars

An ancient ocean, as vast and life-friendly as Earth's ocean once existed elsewhere in the Solar System .

A research team led by an associate professor of geological sciences from the University of Pennsylvania - USA analyzed spectacular terrain data recorded by NASA's "immortal warrior" Curiosity from an area called Greenheugh Pediment in the North of Mars, discovering extremely unique properties.

According to SciTech Daily, the terrain of this area has been directed directly towards an ancient ocean , the sea level rose during a period of warm and wet planetary climate that lasted about 3.5 billion years ago.

Ancient ocean shores of Mars - (Photo: NASA)

It is a large ocean, with many characteristics similar to Earth's oceans, and makes scientists confident that the possibility of life existing is very high.

That ocean has disappeared in the present, but NASA data reveals a layer of ocean sediment at least 900m thick, covering an area of ​​hundreds of thousands of square kilometers.

The size and longevity of the newly discovered water world—which the thick sediments confirm—also suggest that Mars was once very Earth-like. Only a thick atmosphere and warm, temperate temperatures could have allowed such a vast ocean to exist on its surface.

Large oceans and a warm sky, effectively shielded from radiation by a thick atmosphere, were also ideal conditions for early life to form and evolve.

To test this hypothesis, scientists charted the planet's currents to show how sediments accumulated and the extent of the ancient ocean, based on models built from Earth's own oceans.

It is very possible that Mars also possessed a "healthy" water cycle, circulating smoothly like Earth today.

This discovery also helps scientists orient future direct Mars exploration missions: If anything more human-made lands on Mars, Greenheugh Pediment would be an ideal location.

Scientists also hope to find something in the ocean sediments, such as something that belongs to an ancient creature.

The study used software developed by the US Geological Survey and a rich dataset from NASA for the study. The work has just been published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.

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