Nasa is preparing to unveil a "major science finding" from its Mars exploration programme, fuelling speculation it could have found water flowing on the Red Planet.
The space agency has called a press conference for Monday promising to announce "Mars Mystery Solved".
While many are hoping Nasa will announce it has discovered alien life, the leading theory appears to be an announcement of the presence of liquid water.
The speculation has been driven by Nasa's disclosure that Lujendra Ojha, a PhD student who discovered possible signs of water while an undergraduate student in 2011, will take part in Monday's announcement.
Scientists have long known that there is frozen water at the poles of Mars, but have yet to find it in liquid form - which would raise the chances of life being sustained on the Red Planet.
Earlier this year Nasa's Mars rover, Curiosity, found calcium percholate – a type of salt – in the soil, suggesting that salty liquid water could be present close to the planet’s surface.
The space agency has called a press conference for Monday promising to announce "Mars Mystery Solved".
While many are hoping Nasa will announce it has discovered alien life, the leading theory appears to be an announcement of the presence of liquid water.
The speculation has been driven by Nasa's disclosure that Lujendra Ojha, a PhD student who discovered possible signs of water while an undergraduate student in 2011, will take part in Monday's announcement.
Scientists have long known that there is frozen water at the poles of Mars, but have yet to find it in liquid form - which would raise the chances of life being sustained on the Red Planet.
Earlier this year Nasa's Mars rover, Curiosity, found calcium percholate – a type of salt – in the soil, suggesting that salty liquid water could be present close to the planet’s surface.