New research led by Curtin University has uncovered what might be the oldest evidence of hot water activity on Mars.
This exciting discovery suggests that Mars may have been a habitable planet in its distant past.
The study focused on a tiny grain of zircon, a mineral found in the Martian meteorite known as NWA7034, or “Black Beauty.”
This meteorite is famous for being one of the oldest pieces of Mars ever studied, dating back 4.45 billion years. Using advanced techniques, researchers detected signs of water-rich fluids from the planet’s early history.
Dr. Aaron Cavosie, a co-author of the study and researcher at Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, explained the importance of the findings.
“We discovered chemical evidence of hot water on Mars from 4.45 billion years ago,” he said.
“On Earth, hydrothermal systems—hot water environments—played a key role in the development of life. This finding suggests Mars also had water, which is essential for life, during its early crust formation.”
Using nano-scale imaging and spectroscopy, the research team identified patterns of elements like iron, aluminium, yttrium, and sodium in the zircon grain. These elements were likely introduced as the zircon formed, showing that water was present during early volcanic activity on Mars.
Dr. Cavosie added that Mars’ crust endured massive meteorite impacts in its early history, causing major upheaval. However, the presence of water during this time suggests the planet may have been more Earth-like in its earliest days, before 4.1 billion years ago.
In a previous 2022 study, the same zircon grain was found to have been “shocked” by a meteorite impact, making it the only known zircon from Mars to show such evidence.
The latest research builds on this by identifying chemical signs of water-rich fluids in the same grain, providing crucial clues about Mars’ ancient environment.
The study was co-authored by researchers from Curtin University, the University of Adelaide, and the University of Lausanne, with support from the Australian Research Council and other institutions.
The findings, published in Science Advances, bring scientists closer to understanding whether Mars could have supported life billions of years ago.
This discovery opens new doors for exploring Mars’ habitability and its similarities to early Earth.
Source: Curtin University.
