Earliest known direct evidence of hot water activity Mars planet found, which points to the possibility that Planet It may have supported habitable environments in its ancient past. Scientists analyzed an estimated 4.45 billion-year-old zircon grain extracted from the Martian meteorite NWA7034, often referred to as “Black Beauty.” Geochemical signatures within the grains suggest interactions with water-rich fluids during the planet’s formative years.
Hydrothermal systems and their role in habitat
ResearchLed by Dr Jack Gillespie of the University of Lausanne and published in the journal Science Advances in collaboration with Curtin University and other institutions, chemical markers such as iron, aluminium, yttrium and sodium were identified in the zircons. These findings suggest that hydrothermal systems, driven by magmatic activity, existed on Mars during the Pre-Noachian period, 4.1 billion years ago. According to the study, these systems could have created favorable conditions for life, indicating the role of hydrothermal systems in the emergence of life. Earth,
Key findings and expert insights
Dr. Aaron Cavossi, of Curtin University’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, told Science Advances that nano-scale geochemical analysis has revealed fundamental patterns indicating the presence of water during the early crust formation on Mars. “Despite the intense meteorite impacts that reshaped the surface of Mars, evidence of water has been preserved during this turbulent era,” he said.
Impact on the habitability of Mars
Previous research on the same zircon grain had confirmed that it was shock-deformed by a meteorite impact, making it the only shock-deformed zircon known from Mars. This new study extends earlier findings by providing direct evidence of water’s involvement in grain formation.
The international collaboration, supported by Curtin University, the University of Adelaide and the Swiss National Science Foundation, marks a significant advance in understanding Mars’ early environmental conditions and its potential to host life. Insights from the study advance scientific understanding of ancient Martian hydrothermal systems and their important role in creating habitable environments.