CNN reports that huge glaciers have been discovered on Mars, apparently enough to flood the entire planet under 36 feet of water if they were melted.
Fascinating. I wonder why we are only now discovering this, seeing how we’ve been exploring Mars with landers for over thirty years. Maybe its that we’ve only now determined how to measure the amount of water.
At any rate, scientists are still wondering why only about 10% of the water estimated to have been on Mars has been accounted for.
My guess is that the reason we had not discovered it before is because the water is at the south pole of Mars, a place we don’t see much.
I think we always knew that whatever water was on Mars would be at the poles, as they are the coldest places on a planet. I think the real find here is just how much water was discovered.
Now, about that other 90% . . .