Chinese scientists present evidence for existence of ancient ocean on Mars

An international team of scientists, including researchers from China, has reported discovery that may confirm the long-held hypothesis of the existence of an ancient ocean on Mars. This is reported by CGTN, a partner of TV BRICS.

The paper, published in a scientific journal, presents the results of analyses of data obtained by China's Mars rover Zhurong, indicating the presence of subsurface tilted reflectors that point to an ancient advancing coastline.

These findings provide the most direct evidence for the existence of an ancient ocean on the red planet, confirming speculation based on analyses of orbital images that indicate that the northern lowlands of Mars may once have been covered by an ocean that covered a third of the planet's surface.

The Mars rover Zhurong, which successfully landed in the southern Utopia Planitia in May 2021, travelled more than 1,900 metres, collecting a large amount of scientific data.