4.45 Billion-Year-Old Martian Water Crystal Found on Earth

4.45 billion-year-old time capsule from Mars: Evidence of a watery world.

Water has always been a defining feature of Earth, covering 70% of its surface and influencing every aspect of our planet's life and geology for billions of years. But did you know water might have played a significant role on Mars almost as far back as its formation? A groundbreaking study now suggests that Mars may have been wet as early as 4.45 billion years ago, painting a new picture of the Red Planet’s ancient history.

A Quest to Understand Early Mars

While Earth’s water story is well-documented, Mars’s tale remains a mystery. When and where did water first appear on Mars? How long did it last? Was it enough to make the planet habitable? These questions have driven decades of exploration, from orbiters and rovers to the study of Martian meteorites.

The latest clue comes from a meteorite known as NWA7034, affectionately called "Black Beauty." This extraordinary rock, which landed on Earth after being ejected from Mars, contains ancient zircons—minerals that act as time capsules for planetary processes. Researchers studying one of these zircons have found evidence of hydrothermal activity—hot water interacting with the rock—dating back 4.45 billion years.

This discovery, published in Science Advances, represents the oldest direct evidence of water on Mars.

The Martian meteorite NWA 7034, also known as Black Beauty. NASA

The Geologic Timeline of Mars

To understand the significance of this finding, it’s important to consider Mars’s geologic history. Like Earth, Mars formed about 4.5 billion years ago and is divided into four major periods:

• Amazonian (up to 3 billion years ago to present): A cold and dry era.
• Hesperian (3 billion to 3.7 billion years ago): Characterized by volcanic activity and episodic flooding.
• Noachian (3.7 billion to 4.1 billion years ago): A wetter period with river valleys and clay formation.
• Pre-Noachian (4.1 billion to 4.5 billion years ago): The planet’s infancy,when its crust was forming.

Most evidence of water on Mars comes from the Noachian period—ancient river valleys, lake beds, and clay minerals all point to a wetter past. But the Pre-Noachian era, Mars's earliest chapter, has remained elusive. Black Beauty provides a rare glimpse into this time.

Black Beauty: A Window into Ancient Mars

Black Beauty is a mosaic of ancient Martian materials, including fragments of regolith and zircon crystals that date back to the Pre-Noachian. By examining one of these zircons, researchers detected an unusual pattern of trace elements—iron, aluminum, and sodium—indicating that the crystal formed in the presence of hot water.

“This pattern, called oscillatory zoning, is likea fingerprint for hydrothermal activity,” explains the research team. On Earth, similar patterns are seen in zircons from places like South Australia’s Olympic Dam, a site famous for its rich ore deposits.

What It Means for Mars—and Us

Hydrothermal systems on Mars 4.45 billion years ago could mean the planet was habitable almost as soon as it formed. While it’s unclear if water was stable on the surface, this discovery confirms water was present within Mars’ crust—an essential ingredient for life as we know it.

The presence of hydrothermal systems on early Mars is a tantalizing discovery. On Earth, such systems—where water heated by volcanic activity interacts with rocks—are hubs of geological transformation and, often, life. Think of the spectacular geysers of Yellowstone National Park, which are powered by similar processes.

Iron elemental zoning in the 4.45 billion-year-old martian zircon. Darker blue areas indicate the highest iron abundances. Aaron Cavosie & Jack Gillespie

Could ancient hydrothermal systems on Mars have created environments suitable for life? The findings raise the possibility that Mars’s crust, much like Earth’s, had the ingredients for habitability shortly after the planet formed.

Intriguingly, some scientists suggest Mars might have even had an early global ocean during this time. Combined with evidence of hydrated clay mineralsand ancient river valleys, the picture of a wetter, more dynamic Mars is becoming clearer.

A New Perspective on Martian Water

Previous studies have suggested that Mars might have had an early ocean, but the evidence from Black Beauty shifts the timeline for water’s presence even earlier. While it’sunclear whether surface water was stable during this time, the study confirms that water was at least moving through the Martian crust via hydrothermal systems.

This discovery not only deepens our understanding of Mars’s history but also informs the search for extraterrestrial life. If hydrothermal systems existed on Mars 4.45 billion years ago, they could have created niches where life might have emerged.

Mars’s Water Story is Just Beginning

The study of Black Beauty and its ancient zircons marks a significant step in unraveling Mars’s watery past. With every mission to Mars, from rovers like Perseverance to the eventual return of Martian samples to Earth, we move closer to answering the big questions: Was Mars ever home to life? And if so, could it happen again elsewhere in the universe?

For now, Black Beauty reminds us that even the most barren worlds can hold secrets of a wetter, more dynamic past—an inspiring reminder of how much there is still to discover about our neighboring planet.

Looking Ahead

The discovery of ancient water on Mars opens new doors for exploration. Future missions may focus on finding more evidence of these hydrothermal systems or searching for signs of past life. Meanwhile, Black Beauty and its ancient zircons will continue to shed light on Mars’ enigmatic history.

As we unravel the mysteries of Mars’ watery past, we inch closer to answering one of humanity’s most profound questions: Are we alone in the universe?