A robotic rover that is investigating whether Mars could once have supported alien life has found that soil of the Red Planet contains water.
The first scoop of Martian earth to be analysed by Nasa’s Curiosity rover reveals a 2 per cent water content by weight. The finding reveals that water is distributed across the planet and not restricted to icy pockets under the surface.
Andrew Coates, head of planetary science at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, said: “It makes it all the more tantalising in terms of looking for signs of life having been there. The idea that there was running water or pools of water on the surface makes that feel all the more likely.”
Scientists said that surface water would be a