Mars once had salt lakes that went through wet and dry phases similar to those on Earth, according to a study published in the journal Nature Geoscience. The Gale Crater formed about 3.6 billion years ago when a meteor hit Mars, the study noted. The researchers said that the salt ponds on Mars are similar to some found on the Earth such as those in a region called Altiplano near the Bolivia-Peru border. During the arid periods Altiplano lakes become shallow due to evaporation, and some even dry up entirely,” she said. According to the researchers, the climate on Mars may have similarly fluctuated between wetter and drier periods.

Source: The Hindu October 19, 2019 16:52 UTC