In the mid-1990s, NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft brought us thrilling discoveries about current water flow on the Red Planet. On December 6, 2006, it gave us spectacular views of a new crater in the Centauri Montes area. The study, led by scientists from San Diego’s Malin Space Science Systems, suggests that the flow of water could have been substantial enough to fill multiple swimming pools. This latest finding is part of a mounting pile of clues that point to a Mars capable of sustaining life.
Those conclusions flow from two greyscale images six years apart, revealing material movement in and around the crater. These images provide key information about Mars’ hydrological past and bolster current efforts to research the planet’s ability to host life. Scientists have long searched for recent evidence of liquid water on Mars, and the findings from the Global Surveyor have reignited interest in the planet’s past.
In 2011, NASA launched the Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity Rover), where it successfully landed in August of 2012. Curiosity’s exploration has been critical in uncovering that the conditions on Mars may have been supportive of life long ago. The rover’s discoveries corroborate studies indicating that rivers and lakes flowed on Mars nearly 3 billion years ago. This evidence suggests a wetter climate than the largely dry conditions today that may have nurtured life.
In 2024, NASA’s Insight lander discovered a large underground reservoir of liquid water deep within Mars’ outer crust. Among these, scientists say that this newfound reservoir has enough liquid water to cover every part of the planet’s surface in oceans. The presence of such a vast supply of water raises exciting possibilities about the planet’s ability to host life forms in its distant past.
Since landing on Mars in February 2021, NASA’s Perseverance Rover has been busy exploring the Martian surface. As the most advanced astrobiology laboratory ever sent to another planet, Perseverance is looking for the signs of ancient life. By early September 2025, the rover had produced its most thrilling science yet. It’s identified rocks scientists think contain the most convincing evidence of ancient life on Mars.
Dr. Kenneth Edgett shared his astonishment at the discoveries made through this research:
“All we can say is one of the possible explanations is microbial life, but there could be other ways to make this set of features that we see.”
He emphasized the intriguing nature of water flows documented in the images, noting:
“It would be amazing to be able to demonstrate conclusively that these features were formed by something that was alive on another planet billions of years ago, right?”
Dr. Kenneth Edgett also shared his astonishment at the discoveries made through this research:
“No-one expected what we found today.”
He emphasized the intriguing nature of water flows documented in the images, noting:
“If you were there and this was coming down the slope you’d kind of want to get out of the way.”
