4.4-bn-yr-old meteorite grain shows hot water once flowed on Mars

A zircon grain in Martian meteorite NWA7034, discovered in the Sahara in 2011, revealed evidence of water-rich fluids on Mars 4.45 billion years ago. Using nano-scale geochemistry, researchers detected signs of hot water on Mars during its early crust formation. The findings suggest hydrothermal systems, essential for life on Earth, may have existed on Mars, raising possibility of alien life.