"Bullet-proof" Evidence of past water found on Mars
(Reuters)
Reuters - A NASA rover scouting for signs of past water on Mars has found the strongest evidence yet -- a vein of gypsum, a mineral deposited by water, protruding from an ancient rock.
Source: Yahoo! News: Space/Astronomy
Water on Mars (Hover)
Curiosity Finds Evidence Of Ancient Freshwater Lake On Mars
"It's the kind of water where if you were really dying, you could drink it, but you probably wouldn't bottle it for resale," says the chief scientist of the Curiosity mission. Scientists say the lake could have sustained life billions of years ago.
Source
FOUR billion years ago, Mars was a hotter place with the water flowing across the surface so fresh it could have supported life.
Researchers have found what may once have been the most liveable mud on the red planet after analysing some of the oldest minerals ever studied by NASA's Mars Opportunity Rover program. Ref. Source 6
This is so exciting. I wish 2030 was here right now so I can be reading about men on Mars. The MOXIE operation is a big deal because if you can produce oxygen you can also get water going although I think there might be water underground on Mars.
Although boiling, water does shape Martian terrain
At present, liquid water on Mars only exists in small quantities as a boiling liquid, and only during the warmest time of day in summer. Its role has therefore been considered insignificant until now. However scientists have now shown that even though water that emerges onto the surface of Mars immediately begins to boil, it creates an unstable, turbulent flow that can eject sediment and cause dry avalanches. The flow of small amounts of a boiling liquid therefore significantly alters the surface. Ref. Source 7k.
Digging deeper into Mars
Scientists continue to unravel the mystery of life on Mars by investigating evidence of water in the planet's soil. Previous observations of soil observed along crater slopes on Mars showed a significant amount of perchlorate salts, which tend to be associated with brines with a moderate pH level. However, researchers have stepped back to look at the bigger picture through data collected from the 2001: Mars Odyssey, and found a different chemical on Mars may be key. Ref. Source 6i.