New evidence from Martian valley networks confirms a gradual climate shift from warm and wet during the Noachian period, around 4 billion years ago, to cold and icy by the Hesperian period, around 3 billion years ago.

Researchers are using luminescence dating to date samples of the mineral jarosite from Kachchh, Gujarat. Due to its geological similarities, this mineral is considered a good Martian analogue.

Using space-borne remote sensing instruments, scientists from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) have detected evidence for hydrous and hydrated minerals on the Martian surface. An excess of such minerals were found associated with impact craters on Mars and could be a result of either pre-existing ancient hydrothermal systems or hydrothermal systems that were created due to the impact by meteors, asteroids and comets.

Life as we know it on Earth is possible because of water. Hence, the presence of water on our neighbouring ‘red planet’, Mars, was an important discovery. Taking forward the search for water on Mars, scientists from the Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, Sharda University, India, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, Spain and Centro de Astrobiología, Spain, have now discovered the widespread presence of liquid water on Mars using the latest technology.