The Stream, September 29: NASA Announces Evidence For Flowing Water On Mars

The Global Rundown

It is highly likely that liquid water is flowing on Mars, according to NASA, renewing hopes that life may exist on the red planet. Shell is discontinuing its program to explore for oil in the Arctic. Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan are making progress toward sharing the Nile River. Thousands of people in Taiwan are without water after Typhoon Dujuan hit the country. The majority of residents in Ireland say they will pay their new water bills, while an engineer in Tanzania hopes his water filter will help communities secure safe drinking water.

“We haven’t been able to answer the question, ‘Does life exist beyond Earth?’ But following the water is a critical element of that. We now have, I think, great opportunities in the right locations on Mars to thoroughly investigate that.”–James L. Green, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, on the agency’s announcement that it found evidence of liquid water flowing on Mars. The water is likely salty, scientists said. (The New York Times)

By The Numbers

$7 billion Amount the Shell oil company spent on efforts to explore for oil in the Arctic. The company announced Monday that it would put exploration in the region on hold. Guardian

78 percent Survey respondents in Ireland who said they have already paid or plan on paying new, controversial water bills. The Irish Times

Science, Studies, And Reports

An engineer in Tanzania has created a water filter that uses nanotechnology to remove virtually all bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms. Efforts to make the filter available to communities in Africa are being funded by a grant from the U.S. government. Reuters

On The Radar

Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan are making progress toward an agreement to share and manage water along the Nile River, according to researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They argue that the countries’ efforts, while positive, will also depend on international support and accurate information about factors such as rainfall variation and water quality. The New York Times

Typhoon Dujuan brought heavy rainfall to Taiwan Monday and left hundreds of thousands of homes without water and electricity. The storm also flooded roads near Taipei and prompted the country’s financial markets to close Tuesday. Reuters

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek