Well, calling it a "spring" may be a bit of an exaggeration...
The gullies they've noticed have probably only had flowing water once in the last decade -- and probably not for a *long* time before the last decade. After all, they're noticeable specifically because they're different from the pictures we took ten years ago. Most likely scenario is that there's a block of subsurface ice that has melted for some reason... so it's not quite liquid water under the surface, and it's only liquid for a very brief period before it either freezes or boils.
It's worse than that, even. All signs of past standing water that we've seen on Mars are... um... not exactly friendly water. As in extremely acidic and extremely salty. But... you never really know what exolife might be able to adapt to.... :)
Given the unhospitable environments life has managed to thrive in on this planet - like those hot underwater vents, for example - it does leave open at least some remote possibility!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
The gullies they've noticed have probably only had flowing water once in the last decade -- and probably not for a *long* time before the last decade. After all, they're noticeable specifically because they're different from the pictures we took ten years ago. Most likely scenario is that there's a block of subsurface ice that has melted for some reason... so it's not quite liquid water under the surface, and it's only liquid for a very brief period before it either freezes or boils.
Still very cool stuff, though. :)
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject