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Mars Dust Devils May Spark Lightning, Might Pose Risks to Rovers: Study
A new computer-modeling study reveals that dust devils on Mars—swirling columns of dust and air—may become electrically charged enough to spark lightning-like discharges. Led by researcher Varun Sheel, the study simulates how dry Martian conditions and frictional collisions between dust grains can generate strong electric fields inside these vo...
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Is Mars Really Red? A Physicist Explains the Science Behind Its Colour and More
A physicist explains the science behind Mars’s red appearance, linking its hue to iron oxide or rust. While known as the Red Planet, rover images and telescope data show varied colors, from tan to white ice caps. Observations in ultraviolet and infrared light reveal deeper insights into Mars’s atmosphere, surface, and seasonal changes, enrichin...
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Curiosity Rover Reaches Uyuni Quad, Begins New Mars Mapping and Surface Analysis Campaign
NASA’s Curiosity rover has entered the Uyuni quad on Mars, beginning a new leg of its mission. The rover completed a 48-metre drive and is now collecting fresh data on sedimentary textures and surface chemistry. With a focus on remote sensing and contact science, the team hopes to uncover clues about past Martian environments.
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The Promise And Peril Of A Crewed Mars Mission
Mars mission would pursue scientific objectives like determining whether Mars ever hosted life and charting the evolution of its surface, as well as answering broader questions -- such as the history of the Sun through studying Martian soil.
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MAVEN Reveals How Mars Lost Its Atmosphere and Became a Barren World
NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft has provided the first direct evidence of "sputtering"—a powerful atmospheric escape process where solar wind particles blast atoms off Mars. The newly published study confirms that this process played a major role in the Red Planet’s transformation from a once-wet, habitable world to its current barren state. Argon ga...
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NASA’s Perseverance Captures Deimos Before Dawn in Striking Martian Sky Image
NASA’s Perseverance rover captured a rare pre-dawn image of Mars’ moon Deimos on Sol 1433, stitching together 16 long-exposure shots into a 52-second composition. Despite image noise and cosmic interference, the photo reveals Deimos, stars like Regulus and Algieba, and Martian sky conditions, highlighting the rover’s expanding role in celesti...
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Water on Ancient Mars? New Study Challenges the Cold Planet Theory
Scientists have uncovered compelling evidence suggesting that early Mars was surprisingly wet, featuring extensive networks of lakes and river basins shaped by rainfall and snowfall. This challenges long-held views of a predominantly cold and icy ancient Mars. Despite current climate models struggling to explain sustained liquid water on the Red Pl...
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New Study Challenges Claims of Vast Underground Water on Mars
Mars’ water history remains a mystery as new research questions the claim that vast amounts of water are stored beneath its surface. A study led by Bruce Jakosky argues that previous estimates of Mars’ mid-crust being saturated with liquid water may be inaccurate. The findings challenge earlier interpretations of seismic data from NASA’s InSi...
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Ancient Martian Ocean Shoreline Discovered Beneath Surface by Zhurong Rover
China's Zhurong rover has uncovered evidence of an ancient ocean on Mars, with ground-penetrating radar detecting a buried shoreline beneath the Utopia Basin. The rover’s scans revealed sloping sand layers similar to those found on Earth’s beaches, reinforcing theories of long-term water presence. Experts highlight that these formations are not...
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Curiosity Rover Observes Iridescent Clouds on Mars, Offering New Insights
NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured rare iridescent clouds drifting across the Martian sky, observed at high altitudes in twilight conditions. These carbon dioxide ice clouds were seen forming between 60 and 80 kilometres above the surface before evaporating as they descended. Scientists believe their presence hints at unknown cooling mechanisms ...
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Scientists May Have Finally Solved 50-Year-Old Mystery About Martian Surface
The study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, suggests that the dichotomy might be due to internal heat transfer within Mars.
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Kidney Bean-Shaped Sand Dunes Spotted On Mars Could Hold Clues To Life
Unlike the dunes on Earth which are constantly in motion, the kidney bean-shaped dunes on Mars appear surprisingly motionless.
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Mars Satellite Images Reveal Giant 'Kidney Beans,' Sparking Hints of Water and Life
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of frozen sand dunes in Mars' northern hemisphere, revealing unique formations halted by carbon dioxide frost during winter. Unlike Earth's desert dunes, which shift with wind, these Martian dunes remain stationary until spring thaw releases their icy grip. Scientists study these features to unders...
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NASA’s InSight Mars Lander Captured with Dust Layers by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
NASA’s retired InSight Mars lander has been spotted by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) in a recent image taken on October 23, 2024. The image, captured using the HiRISE camera, shows dust accumulation on InSight’s solar panels, now matching the reddish-brown Martian surface. This observation provides insights into wind patterns and dust m...
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Mars Dust Storms May Be Predictable Based on Surface Heating Patterns
A new study suggests warm days on Mars often precede dust storms, with researchers analysing data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The findings show 78% of storms correlate with increased solar heating, particularly in northern regions of the planet. Scientists have developed an algorithm predicting certain storm types with 64% confidence, ...
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Mars Dust Devils May Spark Lightning, Might Pose Risks to Rovers: Study
A new computer-modeling study reveals that dust devils on Mars—swirling columns of dust and air—may become electrically charged enough to spark lightning-like discharges. Led by researcher Varun Sheel, the study simulates how dry Martian conditions and frictional collisions between dust grains can generate strong electric fields inside these vo...
-
Is Mars Really Red? A Physicist Explains the Science Behind Its Colour and More
A physicist explains the science behind Mars’s red appearance, linking its hue to iron oxide or rust. While known as the Red Planet, rover images and telescope data show varied colors, from tan to white ice caps. Observations in ultraviolet and infrared light reveal deeper insights into Mars’s atmosphere, surface, and seasonal changes, enrichin...
-
Curiosity Rover Reaches Uyuni Quad, Begins New Mars Mapping and Surface Analysis Campaign
NASA’s Curiosity rover has entered the Uyuni quad on Mars, beginning a new leg of its mission. The rover completed a 48-metre drive and is now collecting fresh data on sedimentary textures and surface chemistry. With a focus on remote sensing and contact science, the team hopes to uncover clues about past Martian environments.
-
The Promise And Peril Of A Crewed Mars Mission
Mars mission would pursue scientific objectives like determining whether Mars ever hosted life and charting the evolution of its surface, as well as answering broader questions -- such as the history of the Sun through studying Martian soil.
-
MAVEN Reveals How Mars Lost Its Atmosphere and Became a Barren World
NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft has provided the first direct evidence of "sputtering"—a powerful atmospheric escape process where solar wind particles blast atoms off Mars. The newly published study confirms that this process played a major role in the Red Planet’s transformation from a once-wet, habitable world to its current barren state. Argon ga...
-
NASA’s Perseverance Captures Deimos Before Dawn in Striking Martian Sky Image
NASA’s Perseverance rover captured a rare pre-dawn image of Mars’ moon Deimos on Sol 1433, stitching together 16 long-exposure shots into a 52-second composition. Despite image noise and cosmic interference, the photo reveals Deimos, stars like Regulus and Algieba, and Martian sky conditions, highlighting the rover’s expanding role in celesti...
-
Water on Ancient Mars? New Study Challenges the Cold Planet Theory
Scientists have uncovered compelling evidence suggesting that early Mars was surprisingly wet, featuring extensive networks of lakes and river basins shaped by rainfall and snowfall. This challenges long-held views of a predominantly cold and icy ancient Mars. Despite current climate models struggling to explain sustained liquid water on the Red Pl...
-
New Study Challenges Claims of Vast Underground Water on Mars
Mars’ water history remains a mystery as new research questions the claim that vast amounts of water are stored beneath its surface. A study led by Bruce Jakosky argues that previous estimates of Mars’ mid-crust being saturated with liquid water may be inaccurate. The findings challenge earlier interpretations of seismic data from NASA’s InSi...
-
Ancient Martian Ocean Shoreline Discovered Beneath Surface by Zhurong Rover
China's Zhurong rover has uncovered evidence of an ancient ocean on Mars, with ground-penetrating radar detecting a buried shoreline beneath the Utopia Basin. The rover’s scans revealed sloping sand layers similar to those found on Earth’s beaches, reinforcing theories of long-term water presence. Experts highlight that these formations are not...
-
Curiosity Rover Observes Iridescent Clouds on Mars, Offering New Insights
NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured rare iridescent clouds drifting across the Martian sky, observed at high altitudes in twilight conditions. These carbon dioxide ice clouds were seen forming between 60 and 80 kilometres above the surface before evaporating as they descended. Scientists believe their presence hints at unknown cooling mechanisms ...
-
Scientists May Have Finally Solved 50-Year-Old Mystery About Martian Surface
The study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, suggests that the dichotomy might be due to internal heat transfer within Mars.
-
Kidney Bean-Shaped Sand Dunes Spotted On Mars Could Hold Clues To Life
Unlike the dunes on Earth which are constantly in motion, the kidney bean-shaped dunes on Mars appear surprisingly motionless.
-
Mars Satellite Images Reveal Giant 'Kidney Beans,' Sparking Hints of Water and Life
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of frozen sand dunes in Mars' northern hemisphere, revealing unique formations halted by carbon dioxide frost during winter. Unlike Earth's desert dunes, which shift with wind, these Martian dunes remain stationary until spring thaw releases their icy grip. Scientists study these features to unders...
-
NASA’s InSight Mars Lander Captured with Dust Layers by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
NASA’s retired InSight Mars lander has been spotted by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) in a recent image taken on October 23, 2024. The image, captured using the HiRISE camera, shows dust accumulation on InSight’s solar panels, now matching the reddish-brown Martian surface. This observation provides insights into wind patterns and dust m...
-
Mars Dust Storms May Be Predictable Based on Surface Heating Patterns
A new study suggests warm days on Mars often precede dust storms, with researchers analysing data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The findings show 78% of storms correlate with increased solar heating, particularly in northern regions of the planet. Scientists have developed an algorithm predicting certain storm types with 64% confidence, ...
