Bling iced out with priceless stones from another planet seems like the solar system’s coolest finding. Scientists believe that they have discovered a cache of gemstones on the surface of Mars—The discovery has scientific relevance as well because it implies that the region had enormous water reservoirs much more recently, contrary to previous beliefs.
This implies that the discovery might also compel us to revise our assumptions about early Martian life.
As per the latest findings, such hidden treasures are much more common and may be found all throughout the Gale Crater.
The finding is especially noteworthy in light of the fact that silica dissolves in water to produce opals. Long after much of the water had already vanished from the planet’s surface, subsurface portions of the crater may have once protected life from the extreme temperatures and radiation at the surface.
These stones may end up playing a far more significant role than just being labelled as extraterrestrial bling. Water and Silica that make up Opal can be easily separated and potentially act as an important source of water for the astronauts exploring the Martian surface in future.
The researchers were actually able to demonstrate in studies that a single 3-foot stretch of the fractured halo can release around 1.5 gallons of water inside the top foot of the surface.
In other words, the opal comes from a completely different time in Mars’ history, raising the enticing possibility for future astronauts that a number of other surprising places on the Red Planet may still be brimming with water today.
