Mars "once had ocean with sandy beaches"

[Kyng]

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025...a-suggests

Mars may not seem like a prime holiday spot with its arid landscape and punishing radiation levels, but it once boasted beaches, researchers have found.

While previous discoveries of features including valley networks and sedimentary rocks has suggested the red planet once had flowing rivers, there has been debate among scientists over whether it also had oceans.

Now researchers say they have fresh evidence to support the idea after discovering buried beaches on Mars.

Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists report how they made the discovery after they analysed below-ground imaging data from China’s Zhurong rover.

---

Makes sense: we've known for years that Mars once had a large amount of liquid water, but I think this is the first I've heard of beaches!

Kinda makes me want to build a Martian sandcastle .