spacetoday.net: Mars rovers find more evidence of past water

Posted: Sat, Oct 9, 2004, 10:38 AM ET (1438 GMT)
Mars Exploration Rover (NASA/JPL)

NASA's two Mars Exploration Rovers have found additional evidence that suggests that liquid water was abundant and pervasive on Mars early in its history, scientists reported Thursday. Opportunity, which found evidence of past water in the Meridiani Planum earlier this year, has found rocks with polygon-shaped patterns of cracks, suggesting that the rocks were exposed to water a second time, although there are other possible explanations for the pattern of cracks. Scientists hope analysis of a nearby rock will resolve the issue. On the other side of Mars, the rover Spirit continues to find evidence of past water as it climbs higher into the Columbia Hills within Gusev Crater. Project scientists think that all of the rocks in the Columbia Hills may have been altered by water.