Scientists say they've found evidence of flowing water on Mars. Salty brines found in dark streaks that show up and disappear throughout the Martian year are evidence that briny water is flowing on the Red Planet, scientists say. Have astronomers always considered Mars a likely hotspot for water ... and possibly life? Turns out, our view of Mars has changed drastically through the years from Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli's 1877 view of a lush scape rife with water-filled channels to an arid, inhospitable orb and now a more complete picture of the chilly planet, where dust storms are rampant and water, at least the very salty kind, may be meandering across its surface.
Image: On July 14, 1965, Mariner 4 passed within 6,118 miles (9,845 kilometers) of the Martian surface, providing the first close-up snapshots of the planet. The 22 resulting images showed a surface pitted with craters. The mission also confirmed a thin atmosphere composed of carbon dioxide and an intrinsic magnetic field. Here is the first image of Mars, showing an areanear the boundary of Elysium Planitia to the west and Arcadia Planitia to the east. (Photo Credit: NASA)
