Is it possible that water on Mars has different chemical and physical properties than Earths water?
Thanks for your intriguing question! Well, there’s probably very little difference in Earth and Mars water, except for its abundance and temperature. Reading between the lines, I’m wondering if you’re curious about the stuff that looks like mud where the airbags were retracted. If so, I can assure you that Martian water is enough like Earth water to make such an explanation highly unlikely. I would imagine that we would like to study the isotopic components of Martian water vs. Earth water, though. Differences here might be relevant in the search for life’s origins and in unraveling the mysteries of solar system formation. Generally, you can think of Mars as colder and drier than the coldest and driest place on Earth (Antarctica), though there is apparently water ice buried within the top few feet of soil, widely distributed around the red planet. Thanks!
