NASA Discovers Evidence of Ancient River on Mars

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​NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered compelling evidence of an ancient river system on Mars, offering profound insights into the planet's watery past and its potential to have supported life. Since its landing in February 2021, Perseverance has been exploring Jezero Crater—a 45-kilometer-wide basin believed to have once been a lake fed by rivers over 3.5 billion years ago.

One of the most significant findings comes from the rover's study of the Neretva Vallis, an ancient river channel that once directed water into Jezero Crater. In June 2023, while navigating this channel, Perseverance captured images of a light-toned area dubbed “Bright Angel,” indicative of sedimentary deposits formed by flowing water . These observations suggest that Mars experienced sustained periods of liquid water flow, challenging previous notions of its arid history.

Further supporting this, Perseverance has been analyzing rock formations within the crater's delta region. These formations exhibit layered sedimentary structures, characteristic of deposition by ancient rivers and lakes. Such geological features are not only markers of past water activity but also prime locations for preserving potential biosignatures. In fact, some rock samples collected by the rover contain organic molecules—carbon-based compounds that are fundamental to life as we know it