It’s likely one of the most important discoveries in recent years and astronomers are just beginning to understand the potential findings from a rare Martian meteorite recovered in Western Morocco. Astronomers say the Mars meteorite — dubbed “Black Beauty” — is unlike any of the Martian meteorites yet discovered on Earth, according to a report published online Thursday by the journal Science. The meteorite contains the highest concentration of water ever recorded and it is generating a large amount of excitement within the astronomy community. The stunning discovery has raised more questions than it has answered, including questions about whether the presence of water in a 2.5-billion-year meteorite raises the prospect of discovering past life on the Red Planet. While it is likely to take years before we have any definitive answers, here are three questions it just may answer: Did Mars once have flowing water? If so, when? It is pretty evident that Mars once had water flowing across its surface. Recent data from NASA’s Curiosity rover suggests that rivers of water once flowed across the Red Planet and its poles continue to hold vast amounts of frozen water. The recently discovered meteorite will likely provide astronomers with a window as to how long ago water flowed on the surface of Mars. At 2.1 billion years old, it is the second-oldest known Martian meteorite that formed from a volcanic eruption. Though the amount released during testing at high temperatures was barely enough to register here on Earth – 6,000 parts per million – it is still much more than other Martian meteorites. The age, combined with the presence of water, likely provides astronomers with the best data to date for when water began to form on the surface of Mars. Read more http://thespacereporter.com/2013/01...al-answers-to-3-questions-about-life-on-mars/
