A meteorite crater on Earth told the story of the formation of water on Mars

In recent years, astronomers have discovered a lot of evidence that in ancient times there existed on Mars

rivers, and therefore water in liquid form. Scientists believe that they contained approximately the same amount of water as the Arctic Ocean now holds.

Scientists still don’t know exactly how this water disappeared - for example, there are hypotheses that itdisappearedduring severe dust storms.

Researchers have proposed a new method of study.alkalinity, pH and nitrogen content in ancient waters on Mars - on the example of the study of rocks in the Rice meteorite crater, located in southern Germany. Having been formed about 15 million years ago after a meteorite impact, traces of minerals of that period were better preserved in the crater than anywhere else on Earth.

The new method is likely to make the process clear.the formation of water on Mars, which was located so far from the early Sun that its heat should not have been enough for the existence of oceans on the surface of the Red Planet.

Previouslywas reportedthat Mars during its existence has survived three collisions with the embryos of the planets.