Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Scientists from the Curtin University in Australia have discovered evidence that there was once hot water on Mars. They made this finding while studying the Martian meteorite NWA7034, Azernews reports.

This meteorite was discovered in the Sahara Desert in 2011 and was nicknamed "Black Beauty" due to its smooth black surface. Scientists have hypothesized that the meteorite is about two billion years old. However, within it, they found a grain of zircon that is 4.45 billion years old.

Using nano-scale imaging and spectroscopy, the researchers identified several key elements in the meteorite. They were able to determine its chemical composition, which includes iron, aluminum, yttrium, and sodium in the zircon. These elements suggest the presence of hydrothermal vents on Mars billions of years ago.

The scientists noted that these chemical elements were incorporated into the rock during its formation, providing further evidence that water played a role during early volcanic activity on Mars.

Earlier, the Chinese Mars rover Zhurong also found new evidence supporting the theory of a vast ancient ocean on Mars. Instruments on the rover detected what appear to be traces of coastlines, offering additional insights into the planet's watery past.