Chinese scientists find water on Mars

A group of researchers from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, analyzing data obtained by China's first Mars rover 'Zhurong', concluded that about 750 million years ago, water still existed on the surface of Mars. According to scientists, the results indicate the presence of extensive water sources that contributed to the formation of minerals indicating the stable existence of water.

The discovery confirms assumptions previously made by scientists when analyzing samples collected not only by the Chinese rover but also by international missions, including rovers from the United States and Europe.

Context

The first Chinese data about Mars arrived in 2021 after the landing of the 'Zhurong' rover as part of the Tianwen-1 mission. The spacecraft's task is to study the geochemical and geophysical properties of Martian soil and atmosphere.