Water found on Mars
Scientists have figured out the mysterious white substance unearthed by NASA's Phoenix lander on Mars. It's frozen water. The breakthrough came last week when Phoenix's stereo camera caught the substance in the act of disappearing.
Bathed in Martian sunlight for four days, the white substance sublimated--i.e., it transformed from solid to gas without passing through the liquid state.
So how do we know the white substance is not frozen CO2 (dry ice) instead of frozen water?
Answer: Phoenix's landing site is too warm for dry ice. The average daily temperature is about -70 F while dry ice requires temperatures lower than about -109 F.
The digging continues.
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