‘3.7 billion years in the making’: NASA’s Curiosity finds ripples of a Mars lake

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Ripple Clues

Ancient wave ripples on Mars suggest long-gone shallow lakes once open to the atmosphere.

Lake Evidence

The ripples, spaced 4–5 cm apart, formed in shallow water less than 2 meters deep.

Warm Atmosphere

Dating back 3.7 billion years, the ripples indicate Mars once had a warm, dense climate.

Credit : NASA

Dual Sites

Two ripple sets were found by NASA’s Curiosity rover in Gale Crater in 2022.

Historic Period

The ripples formed during a time previously thought to mark Mars’s transition to dryness.

Habitability Boost

Claire Mondro of Caltech notes that extended liquid water increases the chance for life.

Model Insights

Michael Lamb used models to analyze the ripples, revealing wind-driven wave formation.

Key Discovery

Published in Science Advances, the study advances Mars paleoclimate understanding.

Long Search

John Grotzinger highlights how this discovery fulfills a goal dating back to 2004 missions.