Curiosity rover explores ancient watery site on Mars

'Oasis' discovery could hold clues about Mars's watery past

Scientists have hailed an "oasis" discovery by the Curiosity rover on Mars as a major breakthrough that could help unravel the planet's watery past.

The rover captured a 360-degree panorama of the Gediz Vallis channel, which is thought to have been formed by ancient debris flows.

The discovery has surprised scientists, who had not expected to find such a well-preserved watery site on Mars.

"This is a major discovery," said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity's project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

"It's like finding an oasis in the middle of a desert."

The discovery could help scientists understand how water flowed on Mars billions of years ago, and whether the planet once harbored life.

Curiosity has been exploring Mars since 2012, and has made a number of important discoveries, including evidence of an ancient lake and organic molecules.

The discovery of Gediz Vallis is another major milestone in the rover's mission.