Well, scientist say; Curiosity Discovers Ancient Mars Lake Could Support Life
NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered evidence that an ancient Martian lake had the right chemical ingredients that could have sustained microbial life forms for long periods of time – and that these habitable conditions persisted on the Red Planet until a more recent epoch than previously thought.
Furthermore researchers have developed a novel technique allowing Curiosity to accurately date Martian rocks for the first time ever – rather than having to rely on educated guesses based on counting craters.
Grotzinger said the ancient lake at Yellowknife Bay was likely about 30 miles long and 3 miles wide.
Powdered samples deposited into the rovers miniaturized chemistry labs – SAM and CheMin – revealed the presence of significant levels of phyllosilicate clay minerals.
These clay minerals form in neutral pH water that is ‘drinkable” and conducive to the formation of life.