The implications of discovering evidence for fresh water are exciting for macro-organisms as well: Rover chief scientist John Grotzinger of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has speculated that we would have been able to drink that ancient water, had we been there some 2, 3, or 4 billion years ago to witness glorious Lake Gale.

CNN: Have a drink on Mars

Operated by Anadarko with 30%, that well was another monster, going down more than 31, 000 feet in 5, 800 feet of water, and discovering a remarkable 1, 000 feet of oil-bearing rock with very promising reservoir properties.

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His fascination also extends to the deep - he has explored much of the water off Sri Lanka, once discovering a sunken galleon full of silver treasure.

BBC: Legendary science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke at 80

"The Ariad position is equivalent to discovering that gravity is the force that makes water run downhill and then demanding the owners of all the existing hydroelectric plants begin to pay patent royalties on their use of gravity, " says Armitage.

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