Mars rover Curiosity photos ancient stream: NASA rover finds signs of stream on Red Planet

NASA's Curiosity rover found evidence for an ancient, flowing stream on Mars at a few sites, including the rock outcrop pictured here, which the science team has named "Hottah" after Hottah Lake in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
Photographer: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
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Posted: 09/28/2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Scientists say NASA's newest Mars rover has found signs that a stream once flowed across the surface near the site where it landed.

Curiosity touched down in a crater near the Martian equator last month. The red planet today is dusty and dry but scientists think it was once warmer and wetter.

Evidence of an ancient stream came from analyzing the size and shapes of pebbles and gravel near Gale Crater. Mission scientists said Thursday it appeared the water was fast-moving and deep.

Images from space have provided hints of a watery past at Curiosity's landing site. The latest discovery on the ground confirms that.