1st LD: NASA finds "strong" evidence for liquid water on Mars

U.S. space agency NASA announced on Monday it has found "strong" evidence that there is liquid water intermittently flowing on present-day Mars.

Images taken from the Mars orbit showed dark, finger-like markings that, typically less than five meters in width, appear on slopes during warm seasons, lengthen and then fade during cooler seasons on the Red Planet.

These surface features, known as recurring slope lineae, have been hypothesized to form by the activity of brines, but direct evidence has been lacking.

Now, using an imaging spectrometer from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), researchers detected signatures of hydrated minerals on slopes where the mysterious streaks are seen on Mars.

"Our quest on Mars has been to 'follow the water,' in our search for life in the universe, and now we have convincing science that validates what we've long suspected," said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

"This is a significant development, as it appears to confirm that water -- albeit briny -- is flowing today on the surface of Mars." Enditem