The last two years of studying Mars’ glaciers have yielded more interesting results than expected
Geological and mineralogical evidence suggests that approximately four billion years ago, Mars was warm and wet enough to support abundant liquid water on its surface, ranging from rivers and lakes to a vast northern sea. This period spans two geological eras: the Noachian, which lasted from 4.1 to 3.7 billion years ago, and the Hesperian, which lasted from 3.7 to approximately 3 billion years ago. The Noachian era is characterized by warmer conditions, but in its final stages, Mars would have begun to cool as it steadily lost its atmosphere to space.
A whole field of sulfur rocks, the latest discoveries on Mars and amazing photos
As the rover ascends, it moves along the Martian timeline, allowing scientists to study how Mars evolved from a planet that was more like Earth in the distant past, with a warmer climate and abundant water, to the icy desert it is today. The amount of frost on Mars’ equatorial volcanoes represents about 150,000 tons of water exchanged between the surface and the atmosphere every day during the cold season, equivalent to about 60 Olympic swimming pools. NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered crystals of pure sulfur on Mars.
After a 45-year break, the lunar program is being revived in Russia
At the beginning of October 2021, the Russian automatic station Luna-25 will be launched to search for water ice, a key resource for the construction of a habitable base.