Ancient river systems reveal Mars was wetter than we thought
Reports and Proceedings
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 10-Jul-2025 00:11 ET (10-Jul-2025 04:11 GMT/UTC)
The discovery of more than 15,000 kilometres of ancient riverbeds on Mars suggests that the Red Planet may once have been much wetter than previously thought. Researchers looked at fluvial sinuous ridges, also known as inverted channels, across Noachis Terra – a region in Mars' southern highlands. These are believed to have formed when sediment deposited by rivers hardened and was later exposed as the surrounding material eroded. Similar ridges have been found across a range of terrains on Mars. Their presence suggests that flowing water was once widespread in this region of Mars, with precipitation being the most likely source of this water. The new research, led by Adam Losekoot – a PhD student at the Open University, funded by the UK Space Agency – is being presented today at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting 2025 in Durham.
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