TIL: Why Mars’s Ocean Disappeared | Today I Learned

this is what Mars looks like today and

this is what Mars looks like today and this is what it may have looked like

this is what it may have looked like

this is what it may have looked like three to three-and-a-half billion years

three to three-and-a-half billion years

three to three-and-a-half billion years ago notice the difference well the

ago notice the difference well the

ago notice the difference well the planet was warmer and wetter and even

planet was warmer and wetter and even

planet was warmer and wetter and even had an ocean that covered the entire

had an ocean that covered the entire

had an ocean that covered the entire northern hemisphere so where did that

northern hemisphere so where did that

northern hemisphere so where did that ocean go I’m Brendan Mullen and

ocean go I’m Brendan Mullen and

ocean go I’m Brendan Mullen and astrobiologists and emerging Explorer

astrobiologists and emerging Explorer

astrobiologists and emerging Explorer with National Geographic and I’m going

with National Geographic and I’m going

with National Geographic and I’m going to tell you what happened

to tell you what happened

to tell you what happened four-and-a-half billion years ago when

four-and-a-half billion years ago when

four-and-a-half billion years ago when the solar system first form Earth and

the solar system first form Earth and

the solar system first form Earth and Mars formed from basically the same sort

Mars formed from basically the same sort

Mars formed from basically the same sort of stuff like carbon silicates oxygen

of stuff like carbon silicates oxygen

of stuff like carbon silicates oxygen nitrogen you know stuff like that

nitrogen you know stuff like that

nitrogen you know stuff like that they’re basically the same it’s for one

they’re basically the same it’s for one

they’re basically the same it’s for one key difference that’s sighs if we shrunk

key difference that’s sighs if we shrunk

key difference that’s sighs if we shrunk Earth and Mars down to scale and let’s

Earth and Mars down to scale and let’s

Earth and Mars down to scale and let’s say what’s make Mars the size of a

say what’s make Mars the size of a

say what’s make Mars the size of a softball urn would be the size of a

softball urn would be the size of a

softball urn would be the size of a bowling ball big difference in the

bowling ball big difference in the

bowling ball big difference in the universe size matters when Earth and

universe size matters when Earth and

universe size matters when Earth and Mars and all the other plans first

Mars and all the other plans first

Mars and all the other plans first formed they’re very hot and they’ve been

formed they’re very hot and they’ve been

formed they’re very hot and they’ve been cooling off since but the size

cooling off since but the size

cooling off since but the size difference means everything Earth still

difference means everything Earth still

difference means everything Earth still has a churning liquid metal core in it

has a churning liquid metal core in it

has a churning liquid metal core in it while Mars is essentially frozen solid

while Mars is essentially frozen solid

while Mars is essentially frozen solid without a churning molten core like an

without a churning molten core like an

without a churning molten core like an earth Mars doesn’t have a magnetosphere

earth Mars doesn’t have a magnetosphere

earth Mars doesn’t have a magnetosphere a protective magnetic field around the

a protective magnetic field around the

a protective magnetic field around the planet without the magnetosphere the

planet without the magnetosphere the

planet without the magnetosphere the solar wind or charged particles from the

solar wind or charged particles from the

solar wind or charged particles from the Sun hit the atmosphere

Sun hit the atmosphere

Sun hit the atmosphere strip off molecules and atoms over time

strip off molecules and atoms over time

strip off molecules and atoms over time so billions of years later we have far

so billions of years later we have far

so billions of years later we have far less atmosphere on Mars and we used to

less atmosphere on Mars and we used to

less atmosphere on Mars and we used to so what does that have to do with more

so what does that have to do with more

so what does that have to do with more disappearing ocean well without that

disappearing ocean well without that

disappearing ocean well without that pressure of the atmosphere on top of it

pressure of the atmosphere on top of it

pressure of the atmosphere on top of it that water evaporates out into space or

that water evaporates out into space or

that water evaporates out into space or freezes beneath the surface but we can

freezes beneath the surface but we can

freezes beneath the surface but we can still see the role that it played in

still see the role that it played in

still see the role that it played in shaping the Martian terrain

is there a chance of a fine life on the

is there a chance of a fine life on the surface of Mars

surface of Mars

surface of Mars the answer is actually yes if we found

the answer is actually yes if we found

the answer is actually yes if we found that life what I would really be ashamed

that life what I would really be ashamed

that life what I would really be ashamed to say is that we did something bad to

to say is that we did something bad to

to say is that we did something bad to it