The picture above shows the newly discovered dry lakes in the highlands of Mars. The deep canyon is located above the lakes and once flowed to the North. The area that was once full of liquid is colored black in this photograph. Click on image for full size ( 139 KB) R. P. Irwin III and G. A. Franz, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution

Geologists from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. have found empty lakes and a river in the highlands of Mars. They don't contain any water, but they may indicate that the cold, desert-like planet once had a very different climate that allowed liquid water to flow at its surface.

The research team has identified a large, dry lake that once filled several impact craters. The large lake is 1400 miles long and is about the size of the U.S. states Texas and New Mexico. Two smaller dry lakes were found in the region as well.

They also identified a flood channel that connects to, and leads away from, the giant lake called Ma'adim Vallis that has carved more deeply into the Martian rock than the Grand Canyon has carved into rocks on Earth.

These new discoveries may indicate that Mars was once a warmer and wetter place than it is now, with water flowing at the surface. If life did exist on Mars before the climate changed to be colder and drier, the research team recommends that the best place to look for evidence of that life would be in the sediments and rocks that lie at the bottom of the ancient lakes because this is where fossils would most likely be preserved.

The picture above shows the newly discovered dry lakes in the highlands of Mars. The deep canyon is located above the lakes and once flowed to the North. The area that was once full of liquid is colored black in this photograph. Click on image for full size ( 139 KB) R. P. Irwin III and G. A. Franz, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution

Scientists have found lakes and a river in the highlands of Mars. They don't contain any water, but they may show that the cold, dry planet once had a very different environment where liquid water flowed at its surface.

The research team, who are from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., has identified a large, dry lake within several impact craters. The lake is very long (1400 miles) and is about the size of the U.S. states Texas and New Mexico. Two smaller dry lakes were found in the area as well.

The scientists also found a flood channel leading away from the giant lake called Ma'adim Vallis. This is a giant canyon that is very deep. It has carved more deeply into the Martian rock than the Grand Canyon has carved into rocks on Earth.

These new discoveries may mean that Mars was once a warmer and wetter place than it is now, which allowed water to flow at the surface. If life did exist on Mars before the climate changed to be colder and drier, the research team recommends that the best place to look for evidence of past life would be at the bottom of the ancient lakes because this is where fossils would most likely be preserved.

The picture above shows the newly discovered dry lakes in the highlands of Mars. The deep canyon is located above the lakes and once flowed to the North. The area that was once full of liquid is colored black in this photograph. Click on image for full size ( 139 KB) R. P. Irwin III and G. A. Franz, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution

Lakes and a river have been found in the highlands of Mars. They wouldn't be good places for a swim because there isn't any water in them! But the scientists know that there was probably water there a long time ago. Even though Mars is a cold and dry place now, it was probably once very different.

The scientists found a big dry lake that once filled several craters. The lake is very large (1400 miles long). Two other dry lakes were found in the area as well. They are much smaller.

The scientists also found a canyon that leads away from the giant lake. It is called Ma'adim Vallis. This canyon is very large and deep. It has carved more deeply into the Martian rock than the Grand Canyon has carved into rocks on Earth.

These new discoveries may mean that Mars was once a warmer and wetter place than it is now, with water in lakes and rivers. If life did exist on Mars before it became colder and drier, the scientists think that the best place to look for fossils of past life would be at the bottom of the dry lakes.