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February 16, 2026

Ancient Mars was warm and wet, not cold and icy

Kaolinite pebbles show evidence of alteration under high rainfall conditions.

Ancient Mars was warm and wet, not cold and icy

TL;DR

  • A new study suggests Mars was warm and wet billions of years ago, contradicting the cold and icy theory.
  • Analysis of kaolinite pebbles in Jezero crater, found by the Perseverance rover, shows alteration by water under persistent rainfall.
  • The pebbles are depleted in iron and magnesium and enriched in titanium and aluminum, suggesting alteration under modest temperatures and heavy rainfall, not hydrothermal environments.
  • These conditions are comparable to past greenhouse climates on Earth and may represent the wettest and most habitable portions of Mars' history.
  • The findings have implications for the possibility of life developing on early Mars.

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