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Mars Rovers Find More Evidence of Water

loconet writes "Space.com and JPL are reporting that the Mars Rovers might be on the verge of confirming that large amounts of water once flowed in a region of Mars that has looked curiously dry until now. Such a finding could be comparable to their discovery earlier this year of an ancient shallow sea on the other side of the red planet. Opportunity has found lumpy, odd rock unlike anything its seen to date. The rock concentration seems much rougher than the 'blueberries' found earlier on in the mission. Researchers hope to swing by the rock on the way out of Endurance for further study. 'It could just be one big mass of concretions,' Squyres said. 'I just don't know.' Meanwhile, Spirit, which has now climbed about 10 yards up a hillside, getting above the Gusev plain, found an interesting rock dubbed 'Longhorn'. Both rovers have been exploring more than twice as long as they were designed to last. And even though the Martian winter is at its coldest, engineers are confident that the rovers will continue, despite showing signs of mortality."

2 of 220 comments (clear)

  1. Re:So that's where it is! by EpsCylonB · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    No wonder it's taken MS so long to get Longhorn out. They've got to haul it from Mars!

    Couldn't see that joke coming from a mile away...

  2. laughable story summary by nusratt · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    "water once flowed in a region of Mars that has looked curiously dry until now"

    um, excuse me, but what is "curious" about any part of Mars looking dry?