Scientists from NASA have found what they think are the remnants of ancient water waves on Mars

That there was once water and waves on Mars is supported by the Curiosity rover’s findings the most strongly to yet.

Since its 2004 landing, the Curiosity rover has been investigating Mars’ Gale Crater. An ancient lake bed was discovered at an unanticipated place, showing that Mars still has some surprises in store, despite previous visits.

The rover captured stunning images of Martian rocks that show clear signs of the past presence of water on the planet. On Wednesday, NASA suggested that ripples in rocks were caused by waves churning up sediment at the bottom of a shallow lake billions of years ago.

Mount Sharp, the enormous mountain in the crater’s very center, is where Curiosity is starting its ascent. Our rover’s principal mission on Mars is to investigate the possibility that the local environment formerly supported microbial life. Knowing the crater’s water history inside and out is crucial to your mission’s success.

This is the strongest evidence yet, says Curiosity scientist Ashwin Vasavada, that water and waves ever existed on Mars. Tens of thousands of feet of lake sediments were scoured through, but we found nothing unusual. It was previously assumed to be absent from the area, but now we know better.

According to NASA, the mountain can be interpreted as a timeline due to its layered structure, with the oldest layers located closer to the mountain’s base and the most recent layers located closer to the mountain’s peak. These rocks can be found in the Marker Band, an area defined by a distinctive layer of dark rock. The Curiosity rover has tried numerous times to drill into the interesting rocks in this area so that it may learn more about them, but it has been unsuccessful so far due to the rocks’ great density. Regardless, they want to bore through the softer rock.

Researchers have studied more than just the rocks at the bottom of the lake. Curiosity also found rocks with regular layering. Some ongoing research suggests that ancient dust storms may have contributed to the creation of these rock strata. The transition from wet to dry conditions on Mars was arduous, as seen by “the wave ripples, debris flows, and rhythmic layers,” as Vasavada puts it. The ancient Martian climate was remarkably complicated and remarkably similar to that of Earth.