China's Zhurong Rover Finds Potential Evidence of Ancient Martian Ocean

New data from the Zhurong rover suggests Mars's Utopia Planitia may have once been a vast ocean, though skepticism remains.

Zhurong's findings indicate geological markers consistent with an ancient ocean in Mars's Utopia Planitia region.
Researchers identified features like pitted cones and polygonal troughs, which suggest past interactions with water or ice.
The rover's analysis suggests a timeline of flooding events around 3.7 billion years ago, with the ocean disappearing by 3.4 billion years ago.
Skepticism exists regarding the findings, as some scientists argue that wind erosion could have altered or erased evidence of an ancient shoreline.
Future missions are needed to further investigate and confirm the existence of ancient oceans on Mars.