Mars may have been losing its water more than 4 billion years ago, oldest-known Martian meteorite suggests

An unassuming stone found in Mali may hold clues to the very early history of Mars. Named Teghaza 001, this meteorite contains around 800 grams of ancient Martian material, making it one of the most precious objects on Earth. Recent studies of this rare rock have provided insights into the Red Planet's history of habitability. Scientists believe that both Earth and Mars formed around 4.5 billion years ago from a protoplanetary disk of gas and dust.

However, Teghaza 001 stands out due to its composition and age - it contains silica, suggesting the presence of granite-like granite, which typically requires tectonic activity to form. This is unusual for Mars, as the planet's surface is primarily composed of basaltic rock. Researchers have also found evidence that Mars may have had vast interconnected magma networks beneath its surface, which could have driven geological processes similar to plate tectonics on Earth.

This discovery raises the possibility that conditions necessary for habitability could exist on more planets than previously thought. Surprisingly, Teghaza 001 also reveals that Mars began losing its water quite early in its history, potentially as early as 4.1 billion years ago. By analyzing the ratios of hydrogen to deuterium in the meteorite, scientists determined that Mars lost a significant portion of its water supply within a few hundred million years after its magma ocean solidified.

This suggests that Mars' early loss of water occurred around the same time as the formation of its current crust. While this finding is promising for understanding the potential for life on Mars, researchers emphasize the need for further investigation using more samples to fully grasp the planet's complex history.