BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Newly released satellite images have shown water previously existed on Mars, according to news reports on Tuesday.

    A group of British-led experts believes 12 lakes of melted ice were scattered around parts of the Martian equator 3 billion years ago.

    To find evidence of a cozy, wet climate containing rain on Mars during the Hesperian epoch was not expected while taking satellite photos, said the group.

    Scientists begin to believe for the first time that small channels on Mars were created by lakes formed by waters on highlands.

    "This provides another environment -- another place to go and look for microbial life," said Dr. Sanjeev Gupta from Imperial College London.

    (Agencies)