New Evidence Suggests Mars Once Had Oceans and Beaches

A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that Mars may have once featured oceans and beaches similar to those on Earth, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency

An international team of scientists, including researchers from Penn State University and Guangzhou University, analyzed subsurface data from China's Zhurong rover. Their findings revealed rock layers resembling "foreshore deposits"—formations created by tides and waves—offering strong evidence of an ancient northern ocean.

“We’re finding places on Mars that looked like ancient beaches and river deltas, with signs of wind, waves, and abundant sand,” said study co-author Benjamin Cardenas, assistant professor of geology at Penn State.

The discovery strengthens the theory that Mars once had a vast ocean in its northern hemisphere and experienced long periods of warm, wet conditions—potentially supporting life.