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An article in today's BBC news Evidence of liquid water found on Mars talks about brine (salt) water forming and running on the surface of Mars. It treats this as a new discover.

Have we really just made a discovery? Did we already know about this? If we did not already know (and if it is true) how is that we are just making this discovery?

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  • $\begingroup$ It's how it always is - the media like to talk about breakthroughs, but the reality one of "accumulating evidence". $\endgroup$
    – Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
    Commented Apr 14, 2015 at 14:58
  • $\begingroup$ Take a look at the sub heading, they found out that water can EXIST on or near the surface. $\endgroup$
    – Elias Benevedes
    Commented Apr 14, 2015 at 17:31

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They haven't actually seen the water. Curiosity has taken measurements that say the physics allows for small pools of water to form at night. In such cases, anything that is not forbidden is mandatory.

There is speculation that inconstant streaks on the sides of craters seen from orbit is due to this phenomenon.

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  • $\begingroup$ Some links in this question address the streaks as well. $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Nov 23, 2017 at 2:40

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