Scientists believe they have discovered a stable body of water below the surface of the planet Mars. Data collected using a scientific satellite orbiting the planet concluded that there is likely a significant body of water beneath ice in the southern polar region of the planet.
The body of water is roughly 12 miles in diameter and is about one mile below the surface of Mars. According to calculations, the water is very salty but becomes a prime candidate for future exploration as it could harbor life.
Researchers say the water is similar to subglacial lakes found beneath the sheets of ice in Greenland and Antarctica. While these lakes do not host complex living organisms, microorganisms can be found in abundance.
Although the findings are the first evidence of stable bodies of water found on Mars, it is not the first water found elsewhere in the solar system. Europa and Ganymede, two moons of Jupiter, and Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, are believed to have oceans of water hidden beneath miles of ice
Source: Reuters