March: why it's important that they found a lake of liquid water on the red planet

It is a kind of lake under a layer of ice.

A team of researchers
found evidence of the existence of a body of liquid water on Mars.

The liquid was found under a layer of ice in an area of ​​the south pole of this planet.

In previous occasions, traces of intermittent liquid water on the Martian surface, but it is the first sign of the existence of a water plan on this planet.

Tasks performed by the Curiosity Exploration Vehicle, from the US Space Agency (NASA, for short) in English), showed that in the past there was water on the surface of Mars but, the cooling of this planet caused by its fine atmosphere, left most of this liquid transformed into ice.

thanks to the use of Marsis, a radar embedded on Mars Express Orbiter, which is part of the Mars Exploration mission of the European Space Agency (ESA).

"Probably not a very large lake," said Professor Roberto Orosei, of National Institute of Astrophysics,

Marsis was unable to determine the depth of the water body, but the researchers believe that she has at least one meter

"This really qualifies as a water plan.This is a lake, not a kind of melted water that fills a space between stone and ice, like some glaciers on Earth, "adds Orosei.

What does it mean for life?

Now nothing definite.

" We have long known that the surface of Mars is uninhabitable for life as we know it, so the search for life on this planet is now concentrated below the surface, "says BBC Manish Patel, professor at The Open University, UK

"It is there that we benefit from sufficient protection against harmful radiation and that pressure and temperature rise to more favorable levels. More importantly, it allows the existence of liquid water, something essential for life, "he adds

. This principle of water research is the key to astrobiology, the study of potential life beyond the Earth. So, although the discovery suggests the existence of water, it does not confirm anything more.

"We are no closer to actually detecting life.What this discovery is is giving us the location on where to look on Mars.This is like a treasure map except that in this case there will be a lot of X marking sites, "said Patel

The temperature of water and its chemistry could also pose a problem for any living organism on Mars.

to remain liquid in these cold conditions (the researchers estimate that the temperature varies from -10 C to -30 C), it is probable that the water contains many dissolved salts.

"It is probable that the water water is extremely cold and very salty, which would be very difficult for life "explains Claire Cousins, astrobiologist at St. Andrews University, United Kingdom