Recent findings suggest that Mars, once characterized by a carbon-rich atmosphere and liquid water, may have been habitable billions of years ago. Scientists discovered carbon residue in rocks, specifically siderite, indicating a past carbon cycle essential for supporting life. This data, primarily from NASA’s Curiosity rover and geological analysis in Gale Crater, challenges previous theories about carbonate mineral abundance and enhances the understanding of Mars' atmospheric evolution and geological history, suggesting conditions favorable to life may have existed for a significant time.
The discovery of abundant siderite in Gale Crater represents both a surprising and important breakthrough in our understanding of the geologic and atmospheric evolution of Mars.
Drilling through the layered Martian surface is like going through a history book... gives us a good idea of the minerals that formed at or close to the surface around 3.5 billion years ago.
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