Researchers from Purdue University have confirmed the so-called Lafayette Meteorite encountered Water before it left Mars behind. The unlikely journey that brought the Lafayette Meteorite to Purdue University’s Department of Earth,

A sliver of Martian rock that once lay hidden in a university drawer has helped researchers better understand the Red Planet’s geological history. Using isotopic dating, a team at Purdue University has determined that the “Lafayette Meteorite” likely interacted with liquid water approximately 742 million years ago.

The study identified when water interacted with the meteorite and established that the dating was unaffected by events after it left Mars.

A Martian meteorite that landed on Earth more than a century ago has helped scientists learn about the history of water on the Red Planet.