Originally Posted by JeffinCO

... I remember the big fuss being about finding signs of water. Not water itself, but signs that water was ever there. Looking at the Nasa mars photos, it's hard to fathom any life without moisture. But then I'm not sure how much we know about whats underneath mars's surface.


Mars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Mars (pronounced /ˈmɑ(ɹ)z/) is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. It is also referred to as the "Red Planet" because of its reddish appearance as seen from Earth.

Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the volcanoes, valleys, deserts and polar ice caps of Earth. It is the site of Olympus Mons, the highest known mountain in the solar system, and of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon. In addition to its geographical features, Mars’ rotational period and seasonal cycles are likewise similar to those of Earth.

Until the first flyby of Mars by Mariner 4 in 1965, it was speculated that there might be liquid water on the planet's surface. This was based on observations of periodic variations in light and dark patches, particularly in the polar latitudes, which looked like seas and continents, while long, dark striations were interpreted by some observers as irrigation channels for liquid water. These straight line features were later proven not to exist and were instead explained as optical illusions. Still, of all the planets in our solar system other than Earth, Mars is the most likely to harbor liquid water, and perhaps life. "