Boffins baffled by Mars findings

Scientists disagree over whether Nasa’s Phoenix Mars lander found evidence of liquid water before it froze to death.

In a provocative new paper, 22 members of the mission argue that droplets seen on Phoenix’s leg were from liquid water that splashed during landing.

Water is a key ingredient for life to evolve. If the discovery holds up, it would make the Martian arctic seem less hostile.

However, other team members disagreed with the conclusion, saying that the images are too fuzzy to support the extraordinary claim.

Michael Hecht of Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which managed the $475m (€375m) mission, said: “It’s highly unlikely that that’s the explanation. It’s just water vapour moving around. It’s an ordinary, unexciting explanation.”