Dry Martian Meteorite Reveals Early Water in Mars's Crust

A meteorite named Black Beauty, with the scientific designation of Northwest Africa 7034 (NWA 7034), has been found to contain traces of water, suggesting that Mars was once wetter and warmer. The meteorite, estimated to be 4.4 to 4.5 billion years old, is the only known meteorite from the crust of Mars. Using X-ray and neutron tomography, researchers detected hydrous materials in the meteorite, indicating the presence of water in its origin. The study revealed that the meteorite contained macroscopic hydrogen deposits, suggesting that Mars had a water reservoir that could have interacted with its surface and crust.

The findings support the hypothesis that Mars was once a more Earth-like planet with liquid water. The researchers also noted that the hydrous materials found in Black Beauty are similar to those observed in Jezero Crater by NASA’s Perseverance rover. This adds to the growing body of evidence that Mars was a more habitable world billions of years ago. However, the long-anticipated Mars Sample Return mission was canceled due to budget concerns, leaving scientists to rely on meteorites for insights into Mars' ancient past.

The study highlights the importance of studying meteorites to understand Mars' watery history. While Black Beauty provides new details about ancient Mars, the discovery of ALH84001, a meteorite potentially from Mars, has been controversial due to its potential for evidence of ancient life. Despite the uncertainty, both Black Beauty and ALH84001 underscore the value of studying meteorites to uncover the secrets of Mars' past. China’s planned Tianwen-3 mission may be the first to bring back Mars samples to Earth, offering a new avenue for research.

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