Mars May Have Been Habitable Longer Than Thought

A NASA-funded simulation of past Mars has revealed that the red planet was wetter for 500 million years longer than previously thought, giving life more time to develop.

IMAGE: This conceptual image reveals what the Kasei Valles region on Mars may have looked like three billion years ago. White areas are glaciers and blue represents ocean. CREDIT: F. Schmidt/NASA/USGS/ESA/ DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

When we think of Mars, we think of a red planet, barren, covered in dust and rocks and ancient lava…