Posted by tourdemars to Life on Mars at January 22, 2004 12:00 PM

Pictures from Nasa’s roving Mars buggy have astonished scientists by indicating that it may have landed in mud. Strange marks near the Spirit rover’s landing site suggest that against all the odds there be might liquid water on or just beneath the surface of Mars. The water would have to be very salty to avoid freezing or evaporating in the harsh Martian conditions. If the scientists’ suspicions are confirmed it would be the clearest sign yet that lakes and oceans once existed on Mars, and greatly increase the chances of life.