[ad_1]
Analysis of a meteorite found in the Sahara desert revealed the presence of water on the surface of Mars 4.4 billion years ago, and the mineral composition of the Mars meteorite NWA 7533, found in 2012, reveals chemical signatures of oxidation, which occurs when water forms, and the meteor weighs 84 grams, partly named for its landing point in northwestern Africa, it is part of a celestial rock that has shattered upon entering Earth’s atmosphere.
According to the British newspaper “Daily Mail”, planetary scientists are well aware that water has existed on the red planet for at least 3.7 billion years.
But given NWA 7533’s predetermined age and its newly discovered mineral composition, researchers have now concluded that there was water around 700,000 years prior to that estimate.
If there was water on Mars earlier than previously thought, this indicates that the water may have been a natural by-product of some early processes in the planet’s formation.
This could help answer the question about the origin of water, which in turn could influence theories about the origins of life beyond Earth.
Scientists revealed in 2013 that NWA 7533 was 4.4 million years old, making it the oldest Martian meteorite in existence.
“Our NWA 7533 samples were subjected to four different types of spectroscopy and chemical fingerprint detection methods, and we found strong evidence of magma oxidation,” said study lead professor Takashi Mikuchi of the University of Tokyo.
Igneous rocks, or rocks that collapse into a meteorite, are formed from magma and are generally caused by shocks and oxidation. This oxidation could occur if water was present in the crust of Mars 4.4 billion years ago.
