Scientists discover Mars's missing atmosphere and water may be trapped in the planet's crust
By
Ezzy Pearson
Crisp on the outside, thoughtful on the inside. A keeper.
Summary
Scientists may have discovered the fate of Mars's missing atmosphere and water. New research suggests that Mars's ancient thick atmosphere and liquid water were not lost to space as previously thought, but instead were absorbed into the planet's crust through chemical reactions with rocks. The water was trapped in minerals like clay, while carbon dioxide from the atmosphere was locked up in carbonate rocks. This finding explains why Mars transformed from a warm, wet world with rivers and oceans 3.5+ billion years ago into the cold, dry desert planet we see today.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledToday we know Mars to be a dry, barren, dead and desolate world.
Rivers, lakes and even oceans of liquid water used to cover the surface of Mars.
Wrapped around this wet world was a thick atmosphere, a cocooning blanket keeping the planet insulated.
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