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| The rock on the
left, called Wopmay, was discovered by the rover Opportunity, which
arrived in 2004 on a different part of Mars. Iron-bearing sulfates
indicate that this rock was once in acidic waters. On the right are
rocks from Yellowknife Bay, where rover Curiosity is situated. These
newly discovered rocks are suggestive of water with a neutral pH, which
is hospitable to life formation. -CNN |
A group of NASA scientists working with the Curiosity rover
made an announcement Tuesday indicating they found an environment on Mars
that could have played host to living microbes.
Curiosity project scientist John Grotzinger said in a statement:
"We have found a habitable environment that is so benign, and supportive of life, that probably if this water was around and you had been on the planet, you would have been able to drink it."
Curiosity project scientist John Grotzinger said in a statement:
"We have found a habitable environment that is so benign, and supportive of life, that probably if this water was around and you had been on the planet, you would have been able to drink it."
The rover drilled into a sedimentary rock and was able to find clay materials,
which would indicate that water played a role at some point.
NPR reports that Curiosity also “found sulfur, nitrogen,
hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and carbon – key ingredients for life”.
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