Rover Finds New Evidence That Ancient Mars Was Habitable

[AsahinaKimi]

NASA's Mars rover Opportunity has made perhaps the biggest discovery of its nearly 10-year career, finding evidence that life may have been able to get a foothold on the Red Planet long ago.

The Opportunity rover spotted clay minerals in an ancient rock on the rim of Mars' Endeavour Crater, suggesting that benign, neutral-pH water once flowed through the area, scientists said.

"This is water you could drink," Opportunity principal investigator Steve Squyres of Cornell University told reporters today (June 7), explaining why the rock, dubbed "Esperance," stands out from other water-soaked stones the rover has studied. [Ancient Mars Could Have Supported Life (Photos)]

"This is water that was probably much more favorable in its chemistry, in its pH, in its level of acidity, for things like prebiotic chemistry — the kind of chemistry that could lead to the origin of life," Squyres added.

more..http://news.yahoo.com/rover-finds-evidence-ancient-mars-habitable-193232257.html

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. Who in hell took that picture of the rover on mars?

eom

[Cirque du So-What]

2. Funny you should ask...

Caption: get out of my crater!

[longship]

4. DUzy!

[PearliePoo2]

3. LOL! good question!

Its sister ship Spirit? Its bigger, newer sibling Curiosity? Nah, they are nowhere near each other!
NASA teams in Southern Idaho with a mock-up perhaps? (file photo?)
PS...lots of "could haves" in that article!

[longship]

5. "This is water you could drink"

Let me know when they've discovered beer I could drink. Then, I'm ready to join the expedition and kick back after a hard day's exploration at the Gale Crater Brew Pub.