Water On Mars

In the ancient past of good old Mars, the fourth planter from the sun, has seem to have had water flowing under the martian surface. Clay deposits found on Mars revealed that surface of Mars had lakes and rivers in certain spots but only for brief periods of time. The reason scientist can prove this is because clay on the planet was shaped by the environment. These certain clays that the scientist are studying from Mars are terrestrial clay which is when water runs across various minerals, weathering and mixing them together as it carries them along. Many of the clay beds show features of dry rivers and lake beds and this indicates that there was running water on the planet. Well since there is no water on Mars currently where did it go??? Scientist have predicted that the atmosphere was thicker in the past and has thinned down since and not able to keep the water on the surface of Mars. Scientist also believe that it could have been trapped in carbonate rocks or ice. Another theory is that the water turned into clay by the intense weathering of volcanic-fored basaltic rock. But in conclusion, there was water on Mars but very very long ago.