Mars Rovers Find New Evidence Of 'Habitable Niche'

Scientists on Earth have spent the last few weeks painstakingly maneuvering the mars rover to the correct spot for it to survive the long harsh winters exxperienced on the Martian surface. During this process, researchers found evidence of silica-rich deposits in the soil underneath the Mars Rover Spirit. This is evidence suggesting that there was once an inhabitatible area on the Martian surface around the Gusev Crater. The discovery was made when scientists noticed upturned soil following the the movement on the rover wheels across the Martian surface. These soil samples were shown to have a composition of 90% silica, a substance that is directly related to the ability to support life here on Earth. These soil condition form at hot spring and at fumaroles, where extremely high temperatures and water dissolve all of the elements in the area by silica. This is some of the best evidence that life could have been supported on Mars to date.


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221161922.htm