Even Google couldn't help but celebrate the incredible news that liquid water has been found on the surface of Mars.
The Google Doodle for today (Sept. 29) features an adorable animation that gives a nod to the incredible news that liquid water flows on the Red Planet.
In the short video, a cartoon-character version of Mars is shown slurping down a big glass of water. The expression on the Red Planet's face is one of surprise — as if it didn't know anyone was watching. But scientists have had their eyes on Mars for a long time.
The liquid water on the surface of Mars is not in the form of rivers or lakes — instead, the water can be found soaking Martian hillsides, appearing as dark streaks called "recurring slope lineae" (or RSL), that were first identified in 2011. The water is mixed with a particular family of salts called perchlorates, which have the ability to absorb water from the air and create a salt-water mixture (a process called deliquescence). NASA scientists suggested that this finding increases the likelihood that Mars is habitable; it might also be possible for astronauts to use the water for drinking.
Google has a history of highlighting space-related science with its daily doodles. Previous doodles have focused on the historic flyby of Pluto by NASA's New Horizons mission, the ongoing comet encounter by the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission, the Perseid meteor shower and the birthday of pioneering astronomer Annie Jump Cannon, to name a few.
Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield.Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
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