China’s Rover Finds That Mars Might Have Been a Beach Paradise With Rolling Waves

New images from the Zhurong Mars rover might support arguments surrounding the existence of the Red Planet’s long-lost beaches. This latest study might clarify the long-standing debate on whether Mars is or was a liveable planet.

Beach Holidays Were Once Possible On Mars

Data from the Zhurong Mars rover has been studied by a team of international scientists and researchers, revealing layers of rock hidden under the planet’s surface. These hidden layers of rocks are evidence that there was once a coastline on the Red Planet.

Benjamin Cardenas the co-author of the study and an assistant professor of geology at Penn State University also weighs in on the research findings. He says that the research identified signs of “wind, waves, no shortage of sand” from the rover’s images.

A special feature in the Zhurong Mars rover is responsible for the findings of this research. The Zhurong Mars rover features rover-penetrating radar, which allows it to explore Mars’ subsurface areas.

The reason for this ability is to help scientists and researchers better understand the history of the Red Planet. By studying the data gathered by this rover, scientists and researchers have been able to piece together some details on Mars that were previously unknown.

After studying the available data, researchers behind this study were able to identify what is known as “fore-shore deposits.” These deposits are made by the weathering and erosion of rocks that are then carried by tides and waves to various coastlines.

For such formation to be present on Mars, Cardenas and his team argue that there must have been waves on the Red Planet. Additionally, the similarity of these deposits on Mars to those on Earth solidifies the claims that Mars was once a wet planet.

What Does This Finding Mean For Our Future?

Over the past few years, there has been a ton of hype around humans living on Mars. While there are a ton of reputable agencies pushing for this move, one name that stands out of the pack is Elon Musk.

With this discovery of Mars’s long-lost beaches, humans are a step closer to better understanding the Red Planet. More knowledge of Mars will help plans of inhabiting the planet.