"Black Beauty" aids discovery: Scientists have found evidence that water once existed on Mars.

Scientists claim to have discovered the oldest direct evidence that water once existed on the surface of Mars. This is detailed in a study published in Science Advances, as reported by Space.com.

The evidence supporting this theory comes from the Martian meteorite NWA7034, which was found in the Sahara Desert. Due to its black, polished appearance, this Martian stone is also known as the "Black Beauty," which scientists estimate to be around 2 billion years old.

The "Black Beauty" is the second oldest Martian meteorite ever discovered. However, researchers believe that a zircon grain, dating back 4.45 billion years, contains imprints of water-rich fluids.

"We utilized nanoscale geochemistry to uncover elemental evidence of hot water on Mars 4.45 billion years ago. Hydrothermal systems were crucial for the development of life on Earth, and our findings suggest that Mars also had water, a key ingredient for a habitable environment, throughout the ancient history of the planet's crust formation," stated Aaron Cavosie, co-author of the study from Curtin University's Earth and Planetary Sciences Institute (Australia).

He noted that his team identified specific elements in this unique zircon fragment using nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy, which allows for the determination of the chemical composition of objects. These included iron, aluminum, yttrium, and sodium.

"These elements were incorporated when the zircon formed 4.45 billion years ago, indicating that water was present during Mars' early magmatic activity," Cavosie explained.

It is believed that the Red Planet lost its water billions of years ago when intense solar radiation from the Sun stripped away the Martian atmosphere. The loss of the Martian atmosphere meant that nothing could prevent water vapor from escaping into space.

However, this new research suggests that liquid water may have existed on Mars even earlier than previously thought—during the planet's pre-Noachian period.

It is worth noting that scientists believe the moons Phobos and Deimos are remnants of an asteroid that came too close to Mars and was torn apart by the planet's gravity. This new explanation for the origin of the Red Planet's moons could resolve a long-standing debate about their formation.