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Salty water may have flowed near Mars’ equator as recently as 400,000 years ago

The findings point to where scientists could search for signs of life on the Red Planet

An image of dunes on Mars.

China’s Zhurong rover found geologic features indicative of relatively recent water activity in the dunes of Mars’ Utopia Planitia (shown).

CNSA/GRAS

By Allison Gasparini

Crusts, cracks and other geologic features on sand dunes near the Martian equator are leading researchers to believe there may have been water there much more recently than previously thought.

The features, likely caused by the movement of thawed, salty water, turned up in images taken by China’s Zhurong rover.