Newswise — NASA today announced new evidence indicating flowing water on present-day Mars, a discovery that holds implications about how the Red Planet can support life in the future.

Harry "Hap" McSween, a University of Tennessee, Knoxville, professor, and a leading expert on the composition of Mars, is available to discuss the significance of the findings.

McSween is a UT Chancellor's Professor in Earth and Planetary Sciences. He is co-investigator for NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft mission, which is mapping the mineralogy and geochemistry of the Martian surface from orbit; the Mars Exploration Rovers, which have analyzed rocks and soils at two landing sites; and the Dawn spacecraft mission, which began orbiting asteroid Vesta in 2011 and will subsequently explore Ceres, the largest asteroid.

McSween may be reached at 865-974-9805 or [email protected]. An expert profile is available at www.experts.tntoday.utk.edu/experts/hap-mcsween/.

If you need assistance reaching him, contact Lola Alapo at 865-974-3993 or [email protected].