The Phoenix Spacecraft, which landed on Mars almost a month ago, has made its first major discovery on the surface of the Red Planet: evidence of ice.

Phoenix found the "ice" in a trench it dug up called "Dodo-Goldilocks" (hey don't ask me, scientists have a weird sense of humor). To be accurate about it though, Phoenix found dice-sized clumps of bright material.

Over the course of a few days, these clumps disappeared, convincing scientists that what they found is ice. Phoenix's principal investigator Peter Smith from the University of Arizona comments:

It must be ice. These little clumps completely disappearing over the course of a few days, that is perfect evidence that it's ice. There had been some question whether the bright material was salt. Salt can't do that.

Personally, I find the argument a little weak. Just because it disappeared doesn't make it ice. I was hoping they'd have a better reason for believing it, but hey, they're the scientists. Still, you can take a look at yourself and see if it's ice.

Follow the link below for a more detailed look at the before and after pictures of when these bright clumps disappeared. Ice? Maybe. I'd like to think so.