Liquid Water Lake Discovered on Mars

[Andie]

Tampa (AFP) - A massive underground lake has been detected for the first time on Mars, raising hopes that more water -- and maybe even life -- exists there, international astronomers said Wednesday.

Located under a layer of Martian ice, the lake is about 12 miles (20 kilometers) wide, said the report led by Italian researchers in the US journal Science.

It is the largest body of liquid water ever found on the Red Planet.

"Water is there. We have no more doubt," co-author Enrico Flamini, the Italian space agency's Mars Express mission manager, told a press conference.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/first-lake-liquid-water-discovered-mars-143322689.html

 

[Andie]

I agree Fred. With microbes in the soil, there may well be microbial life in the water.

I've always that that we are seeing a Mars after a catastrophe. Who knows how far life had evolved, but I think it was different long ago.

 

Terraforming may be more viable with a living soul and water to work with. Our grandchildren will live in a very different solar system.

[Black Hole]

Is it reasonable to think that we could drill down to that lake in the next 20 years or so? Would be cool to see what we find. 

[Andie]

This discovery is huge.

 

Think about the amazing work being done on our South Pole to drill down into Lake Vostok, a prehistoric lake. They are hoping that they'll find life that has been living there since the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

 

It sits under 2 miles of ice. Imagine a living laboratory millions of years old.

It's a good example of what they may find on Mars.

 

So, who's of the opinion more complex life lived on Mars before it's atmosphere was blown away ?

[OKwx2k4]

This discovery is huge.

 

Think about the amazing work being done on our South Pole to drill down into Lake Vostok, a prehistoric lake. They are hoping that they'll find life that has been living there since the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

 

It sits under 2 miles of ice. Imagine a living laboratory millions of years old.

It's a good example of what they may find on Mars.

 

So, who's of the opinion more complex life lived on Mars before it's atmosphere was blown away ?

I'd say complex life existed there. I think complex life exists at the present time in other places we will never reach also.

[Andie]

I forgot to mention that Rover did discover both seasonal methane and organic molecules. Couple that with the fact that they've confirmed water did flow on Mars (Gale Crater I think) at one time and you have a powerful argument for life on some level.