---
title: "Water on Mars, and other stories – our morning round-up"
date: "2013-09-27T09:56:34+01:00"
modified: "2013-09-27T09:56:34+01:00"
url: "https://newhumanist.org.uk/2013/09/27/water-on-mars-and-other-stories-our-morning-round-up/"
post_id: 5947
categories: ["Uncategorised"]
---

# Water on Mars, and other stories – our morning round-up

[Nasa’s Curiosity rover finds water in Martian soil](http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/sep/26/nasa-curiosity-rover-mars-soil-water)

Each cubic foot of the fine-grained Martian soil contains around two pints of liquid water, Nasa scientists confirm. (Guardian)

[Climate change report: humans “dominant cause” of warming](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24292615)

A landmark IPCC report released this morning says global warming is “unequivocal”, and that scientists are 95% certain that humans are the “dominant cause” of global warming since the 1950s. (BBC)

[Atheism to be taught to Irish schoolchildren](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/26/atheism-to-be-taught-irish-schoolchildren)

Up to 16,000 primary schoolchildren who attend the fast-growing multi-denominational Irish school sector will receive direct tuition on atheism as part of their basic introduction course to ethics and belief systems. (Guardian)

[Countries call on UN member states to end discrimination based on sexual orientation](http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/countries-call-on-un-member-states-to-end-discrimination-based-on-sexual-orientation/2013/09/26/81c863ee-2720-11e3-9372-92606241ae9c_story.html)

The UN’s LGBT Core Group, which includes the United States, Japan, Israel and eight European and Latin American nations, has called on UN member states to repeal laws that discriminate against gay, lesbian and transgender people. (Washington Post)

[Burial space in England running out](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24283426)

Almost half of England’s cemeteries could run out of space within the next 20 years, a BBC survey suggests. (BBC)