A 4.45 billion-year-old crystal from Mars reveals the planet had water from the beginning
- Written by Aaron J. Cavosie, Senior lecturer, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University
Water is ubiquitous on Earth – about 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by the stuff. Water is in the air, on the surface and inside rocks. Geologic evidence suggests water has been stable on Earth since about 4.3 billion years ago.
The history of water on early Mars is less certain. Determining when water first appeared,...