Grains From Meteorite Reveal New Clues About Water on Mars

Mineral grains from a Martian meteorite ejected from the Red Planet 175 million years ago are giving scientists new clues about water on Mars. American scientists report in today’s Nature that the grains from the Shergotty meteorite show there was more water beneath the surface of Mars than previously thought and that volcanoes probably helped to bring it to the surface millions of years ago.

Martian magma--molten rock that formed the meteorite before it erupted from the surface of the planet--contained about 2% dissolved water, which could help to explain how the channels and gullies on the surface of the planet were formed. The research shows water could have been spewed out as steam as the magma rose to the surface in volcanic regions.

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Compiled by Times medical writer Thomas H. Maugh II