Water on Mars? Mysterious Dark Streaks Aren’t What Scientists Thought

In 1976, NASA’s Viking mission successfully landed the first spacecraft on Mars. When the mission began sending images from Mars’ surface back to Earth, scientists noted long, dark streaks on crater walls and cliff sides. To this day, some researchers suggest that the strange geographical features are the result of water flow—but a recent study says otherwise. Planetary scientists from Brown University and the University of Bern have used artificial intelligence to reveal that the enigmatic Martian streaks likely result from wind and dust, not water flow. Their results have important implications for future Mars exploration, as well as humanity’s continuous search for habitable environments and life beyond Earth. Some slope streaks are long-lasting, while others—called recurring slope lineae (RSL)—are more ephemeral, continuously appearing in the same places during Mars’ hottest times of the year. Although Mars is generally dry and cold (with temperatures as low as -225 degrees Fahre ... Read full article.