Quote:Their analysis suggests that water from a nearby Martian mountain gradually seeped into the dunes through tiny fractures. As the moisture moved upward through the sand, it left behind minerals such as gypsum, which is commonly found in desert environments on Earth. These minerals are especially important to scientists because they can capture and preserve traces of organic material. As a result, such deposits are considered promising places for future missions searching for evidence of ancient life.

"Our findings show that Mars didn't simply go from wet to dry," said Atri. "Even after its lakes and rivers disappeared, small amounts of water continued to move underground, creating protected environments that could have supported microscopic life."

The discovery sheds new light on how Mars changed over billions of years. It also strengthens the idea that underground environments could be some of the best places to look for signs of past life on the planet.

The research, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets, focuses on ancient sand dunes located in Gale Crater, an area explored by NASA's Curiosity rover. According to the study, these dunes slowly hardened into rock billions of years ago after interacting with groundwater moving beneath the Martian surface.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260315004340.htm