Maybe Mars had 'warm' water after all

UK researchers have unearthed a new argument in the yes-but-no-but-yes scientific debate about Martian water, saying that meteorite samples suggest water on the red planet was once warm enough for life. In research published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters (abstract here), Dr John Bridges (Leicester University) and Dr …

[Martin Budden]

Not going to get life from that.

The water was warm, full of nutrients, but the warmth was generated by an impact... so the water would have cooled to below "goldilocks" in a very short time after the impact. I'm guessing days or even hours. Much too quick for life to take hold.

[Anonymous Coward]

Until we understand how self replicating chemical systems occur

- ie life - then any estimates on whether life could or couldn't have occured on mars or anywhere else in the universe is just complete speculation. For all we know life on earth may be the only example in the universe due to some incredibly unlikely occurance happening in the proto earth chemical soup.

Either way , earth had huge deep oceans which were around for billions of years for this to occur in. Mars at best had a few warm shallow seas which didn't hang around for very so frankly if any life is disovered on mars that didn't hitch a ride on a meteorite from earth then I'll be amazed. My gut feeling is its a sterile desert planet and always has been.

[jasonalanward]

jasonalanward

So; if we get in a time machine, travel to Mars. Await a known meteorite impact, then we can have a Martian bath.

But what, I wonder makes us turn green?