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'Halos' Discovered On Mars Could Widen Time Frame For Potential Life

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Scientists say they have made a discovery on Mars that may indicate the potential for life on the red planet.

According to a new paper published in Geophysical Research Letters, higher concentration of silica called "halos" -- have been found in Gale crater on Mars.

In a press release, The American Geophysical Union says the "halos" indicate that the planet had water much longer than previously believed.

"The concentration of silica is very high at the centerlines of these halos," said Jens Frydenvang, a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Copenhagen and lead author of the new study.

NASA's Curiosity Rover's mission has been to find out if Mars was ever habitable.

Scientists say Curiosity's mission has been very successful in showing that Gale crater once held a lake with drinkable water.

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