Chinese scientists have discovered evidence suggesting significant water activity on Mars as recently as around 750 million years ago, according to data transmitted by China’s Zhurong rover, Chinese state media reported.
The findings are based on surface and subsurface data collected by the rover in the Utopia Planitia region, where scientists identified geological features believed to have formed through the action of liquid water. Researchers say these formations indicate that Mars may have experienced a much wetter and more dynamic climate in its relatively recent geological past than previously thought.
Scientists involved in the study noted that the presence of such water-related features strengthens the possibility that Mars once had conditions suitable for sustaining life, at least temporarily. The discovery adds to growing international scientific evidence that water on Mars did not disappear abruptly but may have persisted intermittently over long periods.
China’s Zhurong rover, part of the Tianwen-1 Mars mission, landed on the Red Planet in 2021 and has since provided valuable data on Martian terrain, climate, and geological history. The latest findings mark a significant contribution to global Mars research and deepen understanding of the planet’s evolution.