A new animation by NASA Goddard's Conceptual Image Lab shows that four billion years ago, Mars may have looked much more similar to Earth than the barren, desert-like Mars we know today.
The animation is based on previous NASA findings of mineral presence and patterns inside craters that suggests there was once water flowing on our solar system neighbor.
See also: Epic Flyover Video Shows Mars From Spacecraft's Perspective
"Billions of years ago, when the Red Planet was young, it appears to have had a thick atmosphere that was warm enough to support oceans of liquid water — a critical ingredient for life," NASA explained in the video's YouTube description.
The video begins with a flyover of a martian lake. It then progresses over time, showing the drying of the lakes and the transition of Mars' sky from blue to "the dusty pink and tan hues" found there now. It ends with an illustration of the MAVEN mission, scheduled to launch Monday, which will investigate what caused Mars to lose its atmosphere.
But more interestingly, this video could show the future for Earth — perhaps in four billion years, our planet will resemble a cold, red planet.
BONUS: 20 Epic Space Photos From Astronaut Chris Hadfield
"Antipodes Islands, looking like an island flag."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Istanbul, Turkey at night, historic vital crossroads, clear as can be."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Morning in NYC. Downtown Manhattan casts quite a shadow."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"I, for one, appreciate a healthy moustache, like this one inching along over New Zealand."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Fogo, Cape Verde - a volcano so big it peaks above the Atlantic. Last active 18 years ago."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"A island off the Pacific coast of Mexico spins clouds into swirls of lace."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"While looking for the approaching Soyuz, I caught a glimpse of another orbiting body in the distance."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"An angry thunderstorm stands out against infinity."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"A gyre frozen into the ice, Newfoundland, Canada."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Some of the things we build for ourselves are puzzlingly visible from space. Such as the islands of Dubai."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Homs, Syria. Currently enveloped in fighting - an uncertain future layered upon a storied past."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"The Earth's fault lines are especially visible from orbit, like this one in South Africa."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Soyuz departing - Oleg, Kev & Evgeni passing underneath Space Station on their way home after 5 months."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
Commander Hadfield had only one comment for this photo: "!"
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Kolkata (Calcutta), India. 14 million of us living closely together on the Hooghly River in a huge developed wetland."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Like a Praying Mantis, Canadarm2 poised to reach out and grab Dragon."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Pyongyang, North Korea. A shrouded city of much global concern. In stark contrast with the South, not too far away."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Air and pepper oil suspended in a water blob. I blew on it to make it wiggle."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"A rare space sight. Most borders are invisible from orbit. This one between Egypt and Israel isn't."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
"Undoubtedly one of the coolest space sights on Earth, the Richat Structure of Mauritania."
Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield
Image: YouTube, NASA Goddard