GOP Congressman Asks NASA If There Was a ‘Civilization on Mars Thousands of Years Ago’

During a House subcommittee hearing today, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher pressed a panel of scientists about not only the possibility that life could have existed on Mars as recently as a few thousand years ago but also whether there were actual Martian cities.

At today’s House Committee on Science, Space and Technology hearing, NASA project scientist Ken Farley had testified that Mars looked a whole lot different billions of years ago, stating that it likely had rivers, lakes and even a large ocean.

In response to that testimony, Rohrabacher seemingly thought that Farley said that this was all the case much more recently while asking about the potential of past intelligent life on Mars.

“You have indicated that Mars had, was totally different thousands of years ago,” the GOP lawmaker stated. “Is it possible that there was a civilization on Mars thousands of years ago?”

Farley corrected Rohrabacher, telling him that the “evidence is that Mars was different billions of years ago, not thousands of years ago,” leading the California Republican to ask him if he’d rule it out.

“I would say that is extremely unlikely,” Farley noted.

Watch the clip above, of the exchange, via Space.com.

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Justin Baragona on Twitter: @justinbaragona

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