ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have mapped water-rich rocks across Mars. The new global map is changing the way we think about the planet’s watery past, and shows where we could land future missions for further exploration.

A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet. The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life.

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