Have they located water on Mars, or are images showing a water type substance fake?
Executive summary
Recent peer-reviewed and mission reports show strong evidence that Mars once held abundant liquid water on its surface and underground billions of years ago, and new studies argue that small amounts of subsurface water persisted later than previously thought (e.g., NYU Abu Dhabi study on Gale Crater sandstones; Jezero findings) [1][2]. At the same time, high‑profile claims of a present-day underground “lake” under Mars’s south polar cap—based on radar reflections—have been challenged by new SHARAD radar analyses that favor dry materials (rock, dust, icy mixtures) over liquid water in that particular spot [3][4][5].
1. What scientists agree on: ancient and subsurface water was real
Multiple teams and rover analyses converge on the conclusion that Mars was wetter in its past: surface rivers, lakes and alteration minerals are well documented, and rover data from Jezero and Gale Crater record mineralogical evidence for interactions with liquid water and prolonged aqueous activity that could have supported habitability [2][6][7]. NYU Abu Dhabi researchers report that ancient sand dunes in Gale Crater were soaked from below by groundwater, leaving minerals such as gypsum—consistent with liquid water moving through sediments and preserving biosignature‑friendly minerals [1][8].
2. The recent “is there liquid water now?” debate: MARSIS vs. SHARAD
The 2018 MARSIS radar anomaly beneath Mars’s southern polar ice attracted headlines as a possible 20‑km wide subglacial lake because water is a strong radar reflector [3][5]. New work using higher‑frequency SHARAD radar from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter revisited that feature and finds the signal can be better explained by non‑liquid materials—smooth volcanic rock, variations in ice/dust layering, or salty and clay‑rich ice—so the interpretation of a present molten lake at that location is now questioned [3][4][9]. Reporting emphasizes that this overturns the specific lake claim but does not rule out other kinds of ice or brines elsewhere on Mars [5][10].
3. Where images of “water” come from and why they aren’t all fake
Images that show flowing, glossy or wet‑looking features on Mars are usually either (a) geological features formed by past water (ancient deltas, ripples, mineral veins) seen in rover or orbiter images, or (b) seasonal features such as dark slope streaks or transient brine‑candidate flows inferred from repeat imaging—none of which are “fake” images in the sense of being manufactured, but their interpretation can be contested (available sources do not mention specific viral “fake” images). NASA and journal publications present raw and processed imagery tied to instrument data, and scientists debate what appearance plus other data imply [2][11].
4. What the new studies actually change — nuance not sensationalism
Recent SHARAD analyses do not erase the long record that Mars had abundant ancient liquid water; they constrain one high‑profile claim about liquid water under the south pole and demonstrate the importance of multi‑instrument, multi‑frequency confirmation [3][5]. Likewise, NYU Abu Dhabi and other teams extend the timeline of habitable conditions by showing groundwater‑driven alteration in sediments—evidence that small, protected aqueous environments persisted after large surface waters disappeared [1][7].
5. Why this matters for life-detection and exploration
If subsurface water or long‑lived groundwater systems existed, they create targets for preserved organics and potential biosignatures, which is why rover sample campaigns (Perseverance) and orbital radar studies matter to astrobiology and human exploration planning [2][11]. Conversely, if some radar anomalies reflect rock or icy dust rather than liquid water, that changes where missions prioritize searching for accessible water resources [3][9].
6. Conflicting perspectives and how scientists handle uncertainty
Researchers present competing interpretations: MARSIS low‑frequency reflections suggested liquid brines; SHARAD high‑frequency work argues for dry explanations [3][4]. Media outlets and popular science sites amplify both the hopeful and the skeptical readings; careful scientific practice requires cross‑validation with different instruments, models, and eventually in‑situ sampling [3][10].
7. Bottom line for your question
Yes — scientists have very strong, multi‑decadal evidence that Mars once had abundant liquid water and later groundwater or subsurface aqueous activity [2][1][7]. But the most sensational image of a present-day underground lake beneath the south polar cap is now seriously disputed by newer radar work that favors non‑liquid explanations for that specific radar signature [3][5]. Claims that images are “fake” are not supported by the reporting here; instead, scientists are refining interpretations as new data arrive (available sources do not mention viral image forgery).
Limitations: reporting and peer‑reviewed papers cited here focus on specific regions (Gale Crater, Jezero, the south pole) and specific instruments (MARSIS, SHARAD, rover payloads); they do not provide exhaustive coverage of every radar anomaly or every image circulating online [3][2][1].