Water found on Mars?

[Dropper]

Original here... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=420833&in_page_id=1770 Dramatic new photographs of Mars have revealed the possible existence of water on its surface. The images - released for the first time on Wednesday by the US space agency NASA - were taken earlier this year in an attempt to unlock the secrets of the Red Planet. Experts have long believed water was to be found on Mars, which is subject to extreme weather conditions. This latest discovery may provide vital proof there was life on Mars and that it is possible for man to land on its arid and rocky surface. NASA researchers have documented the formation of new craters on the plant's surface and found bright, light-coloured deposits in gullies that were not present in previous photos. They concluded the deposits - possibly mud, salt or frost - were left there when water recently cascaded through the channels. In another photo a number of gullies on a crater wall can be clearly seen. The scientists believe that they may have been formed in relatively recent Martian history by erosion caused by flowing, liquid water. The pictures were captured in October by the unmanned spacecraft the Mars Global Surveyor, which carries the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC), and circumnavigates Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun in the solar system. Earlier this week the MOC took pictures of the NASA exploration vehicle rover Spirit on the planet's surface. Only last month British cosmologist Professor Stephen Hawking advocated missions to other planets. He predicted that the human race will need to venture far beyond the Earth to ensure its survival, saying: "There isn't anywhere like Earth in the solar system so we would have to go to another star." He added that there could be a permanent base on the Moon in 20 years and a colony on Mars within the next 40. And his predictions may yet come true. NASA announced yesterday that it was resuming missions to the Moon for the first time in more than 30 years and was planning a permanently occupied base on our satellite's south pole by 2020. The plans herald a new age of exploration and will provide a valuable test-bed for the technologies needed for future travel to Mars. Amazing find if it's true. It could mean a great deal concerning settlements there.

[Terran]

I just wish we hadnt built that stupid International Space Station and instead put all that effort and money into a moon base... Cause at least when things lose their NASA useful function on the moon it could be sold off to private industry...

[MikePizzoff]

This is incredible. Although I keep getting this image in my head of astronauts landing on Mars to check out the rivers. When they get to the bed of a river a giant creature that no man could ever even imagine emerges from the waters and kills/eats the space cadets.

[capncnut]

A colony on Mars within 40 years? I think that's wishful thinking but you never know. Just imagine looking out of the window of your cabin and seeing a sunset like this. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA07997.jpg Yes, that is a real photograph. Taken from the surface last year by the Rover.

[MikePizzoff]

Awesome picture, Capn.

[tju1973]

A colony on Mars within 40 years? I think that's wishful thinking but you never know. Just imagine looking out of the window of your cabin and seeing a sunset like this. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA07997.jpg Yes, that is a real photograph. Taken from the surface last year by the Rover. My classmates.com profile lists Cydonia Plain as my dream vacation location.....

[capncnut]

My classmates.com profile lists Cydonia Plain as my dream vacation location... I'm more of a Tharsis Bulge man myself.

[HLS]

A colony on Mars within 40 years? I think that's wishful thinking but you never know. Just imagine looking out of the window of your cabin and seeing a sunset like this. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA07997.jpg Yes, that is a real photograph. Taken from the surface last year by the Rover. It will be cool to visit, but I would not want to live on a mars colony. I will miss the earths blue skys, trees...etc....

[Danny]

which will still be good for around 20 odd years at least cool stuff, and i do reckon there was life on mars once upon a time, but not to nit-pick but whats with the "may be able to land on mars".... doesnt that sound a bit thick?, surely its just a matter of being able to go there right?, what does water have to do with it?, it may mean we can stay longer but that still was a stupid statement.

[Maitreya]

That's really cool... The future just sounds amazing, I just hope there's no massive accident or anything that stops us.