Mars' mysterious streaks might be caused by water boiling beneath its surface

Scientists may finally have an explanation for how water creates those mysterious streaks marking Mars' surface. A new study published Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience suggests that it's not salty water flowing downhill that's creating the streaks on the Red Planet as scientists initially thought, but rather water that's boiling out of Mars' soil.
With the help of a special chamber that modeled the climate conditions of Mars on a hot summer day, researchers were able to take some of the guess work out of deducing how water in Martian atmospheric conditions might behave. Scientists had previously thought the streaks were evidence of liquid water on Mars, but found this theory hard to prove — especially because Mars' exceptionally thin atmosphere makes it nearly impossible for water to stay in its liquid state for long.
When scientists put ice in the chamber with the same low atmospheric conditions found on Mars, they found it melted, as expected. But when the water started to boil, there was a surprise: When the boiling water emerged to the surface, it evaporated so quickly that it blasted dust and debris off the ground. The displaced dust exposed the darker ground underneath and created what appeared to be little ridges — not all that different from those streaking Mars' surface.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Watch the researchers' simulation of what's happening up on Mars, below. Becca Stanek
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
October 19 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's editorial cartoons include Pete Hegseth and the press, an absence of government, and George Washington crossing the Delaware
-
A little-visited Indian Ocean archipelago
The Week Recommends The paradise of the Union of the Comoros features beautiful beaches, colourful coral reefs and lush forests
-
AI: is the bubble about to burst?
In the Spotlight Stock market ever-more reliant on tech stocks whose value relies on assumptions of continued growth and easy financing
-
Madagascar president in hiding, refuses to resign
Speed Read Andry Rajoelina fled the country amid Gen Z protests and unrest
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime minister
In the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Israel, Hamas agree to first step of Trump peace plan
Speed Read Israel’s military pulls back in Gaza amid prisoner exchange
-
Israel intercepts 2nd Gaza aid flotilla in a week
Speed Read The Israeli military intercepted a flotilla of nine boats with 145 activists aboard along with medical and food aid
-
Japan poised to get first woman prime minister
Speed Read The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi
-
Israel and Hamas meet on hostages, Trump’s plan
Speed Read Hamas accepted the general terms of Trump’s 20-point plan, including the release of all remaining hostages
-
US tipped to help Kyiv strike Russian energy sites
Speed Read Trump has approved providing Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure
-
Netanyahu agrees to Trump’s new Gaza peace plan
Speed Read At President Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they agreed upon a plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza