NASA: 'Liquid Water Has Been Found On Mars'

WASHINGTON D.C. (WJZ) -- NASA announced that there's a water-like substance on the planet Mars' surface.

Alex Demetrick reports for WJZ.

Jim Green, the director of Planetary Science at NASA, said "under certain circumstances, liquid water has been found on Mars."

The discovery came in pieces, starting with the landing of the rover "Curiosity" three years ago.

Its instruments measured far more humidity in Mars' atmosphere than previously expected, leading to speculation that these dark streaks running down Martian hillsides just might be water.

"These are dark streaks that form in late spring, grow through the summer and disappear by fall," said Michael Meyers with the Mars exploration program.

NASA focused the spectrometer aboard the Mars reconnaissance orbiter on those streaks.

It found perchlorates, which is a salt.

And there's evidence that Martian humidity is being absorbed by the salts, which then dissolves in the Martian summer, releasing liquid water.

"The spectrographic detection of hydrated percholates indicates this water is briny, and not pure," said Mary Beth Wilhelm, with the project.

Saltier than our oceans, but on Earth, where there is water, there is life.

"Following the water is a critical element of that," said Green. "We now have a great opportunity to be in the right locations on Mars to thoroughly investigate that."

The terrain is too steep for curiosity, and it will take a future mission to seek life in the dark streaks.

If found, it might only be microbes, but it would be the first life found outside Earth.