The MAVEN mission collected data from a close approach to Martian moon Phobos, providing spectral images of the moon's surface. The observations will help scientists understand the moon's origin, comparing it to asteroids and meteorites.
European scientists sent Antarctic fungi to the International Space Station for 18 months in conditions similar to Mars. More than 60% of their cells remained intact with stable DNA, indicating their ability to survive harsh Martian environments. Lichens from Spain and Austria also showed resilience under simulated Martian conditions.
Phobos will likely break apart and form a ring around Mars due to tidal forces. The debris from Phobos will continue to orbit Mars for millions of years before eventually colliding with the planet.
NASA scientists have found that Phobos' surface features long, shallow grooves, likely early signs of structural failure. The moon's interior may be a rubble pile with a powdery regolith layer, making it prone to stress fractures and eventual destruction.
A recent study has successfully detected dust devils using a seismometer in California, which will help NASA's InSight mission on Mars measure dust devils' impact on the atmosphere. The findings also provide insights into Martian climate and the composition of rocks and dust.
The MAVEN mission has revealed enhanced escape rates of ions during solar bursts, hinting at substantial atmospheric loss in early Martian history. The study also found a large vertical temperature gradient and mixing of gases near the thermosphere and ionosphere.
The Martian atmosphere is losing gas to space via stripping by the solar wind, with erosion rates increasing significantly during solar storms. Researchers have determined that almost 75% of escaping ions come from Mars' tail region.
NASA's MAVEN mission has determined that Mars is losing gas to space via stripping by the solar wind, a process that may have contributed to the planet's dry climate. The research suggests that powerful solar storms can accelerate this process, potentially playing a significant role in changing Mars' climate over billions of years.
Planetary scientist Shoshanna Cole discovered signs of acid fog on Mars, which formed when acidic vapors dissolved minerals and created gel-like cement. The phenomenon was observed in the Watchtower Class outcrops on Husband Hill, indicating a change in the environment billions of years ago.
Researchers used a new process to model planetary formation, showing that rocky planets grow from pebbles, resulting in the massive differences between Earth and Mars. The VSPA model explains why Mars is smaller than expected by suggesting that aerodynamic drag prevents pebbles from colliding with objects near the Red Planet.
A new MIT study proposes refueling on the moon to reduce launch mass for a Martian mission, with the potential to save 68% of cargo. The research suggests that establishing an infrastructure in space could enable sustainable travel between planetary bodies.
A new method developed by Penn researchers can quantify the transport distance of river pebbles from their shape alone, providing evidence for an extensive river system on Mars. The study suggests that Martian pebbles traveled around 30 miles from their source, offering insights into the planet's geological history and potential for life.
Researchers used climate models to predict how greenhouse warming could be the source of water on early Mars, which would support a warm and habitable environment. The study found that volcanic fluxes caused by plate tectonics may have led to a high percentage of hydrogen in the atmosphere, driving global warming.
A new paper published in Science reveals that Mars had a more massive atmosphere billions of years ago and a wet climate, with long-lived lakes filling Gale Crater. The discovery contradicts existing climate models and sheds light on the planet's ancient past, similar to the resolution of Earth's continental drift puzzle.
Researchers analyzed Eocene rocks found in the Green River Formation and identified features that visually indicate the presence of life. They used chemical analysis to confirm the presence of lipid biomarkers, which are preserved remnants of lipids synthesized by organisms.
A team of researchers found a massive slab of water ice on Mars, measuring 40 meters thick and covering an area equivalent to California and Texas combined. Meanwhile, scientists have long struggled to study the Earth's remote mantle using seismic wave analysis, but new research offers new insights into this complex process.
Researchers explore Earth's most extreme lifeforms to predict what life could be like elsewhere in the universe. They suggest water-hydrogen peroxide mixtures for Mars-like environments and liquid hydrocarbons for Titan-like planets, with organisms adapting to frigid temperatures and slow metabolisms.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have discovered evidence of an ancient lake on Mars that likely represents some of the last potentially habitable surface water ever to exist on the planet. The salt deposit, approximately 18 square miles in size, is believed to be around 3.6 billion years old.
The ChemCam instrument on NASA's Curiosity rover has found evidence of ancient, light-colored rocks on Mars that are rich in feldspar and quartz, similar to those found in the Earth's granitic continental crust. These discoveries suggest that Mars may have had a primitive continental crust around 4 billion years ago.
A new US strategy to send humans to Mars is proposed by NASA, utilizing existing or planned assets to minimize development costs. The plan involves a series of missions starting with a landing on Mars' moon Phobos in 2033, followed by short-stay and year-long landings in subsequent years.
The MAVEN mission has discovered that Mars' atmosphere is losing gas to space due to solar wind and electric forces, creating a polar plume of escaping particles. The spacecraft also detected a long-lived layer of metal ions in the upper atmosphere, and witnessed aurora displays caused by solar activity.
Researchers discovered methane in six Martian meteorites, similar to the Martian atmosphere's composition. This finding suggests that methane could be used as a food source by rudimentary forms of life on Mars.
Researchers from Brown University have detected deposits of glass within impact craters on Mars, suggesting that it could preserve signs of life. The study found large glass deposits in several ancient yet well-preserved craters, including Hargraves near Nili Fossae trough.
Researchers have identified glass formations on Mars that could preserve signs of ancient biological activity. The glass-rich impactites found by Kevin Cannon and John Mustard are preserved on billion-year timescales and could provide a promising target for searching for possible ancient Martian life.
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has been awarded a $5 million grant from NASA to develop next-generation rocket engines using liquid methane. The project aims to create more efficient propulsion systems for in-space travel, with potential applications for Mars and lunar landers.
Researchers predict that Mars' aurorae can be visible to the naked eye, displaying colors similar to those on Earth. The study suggests that carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere contributes to the formation of blue, green, and red aurorae.
Researchers at the University of Kansas are working to improve the detection of life on Mars by combining Raman spectroscopy with gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. They aim to analyze rocks from Earth similar to those found on Mars to strengthen evidence collection, as conditions on the Martian surface are inhospitable.
The COSMOS trial enrolls 18,000 participants to examine the long-term cardiovascular health benefits of cocoa flavanols. The study also explores potential benefits on brain health and metabolic health.
The CODEX device will allow unmanned rovers to determine the age of rocks on the Moon and Mars by analyzing radioactive elements. This technology has major implications for understanding the history of the inner solar system, including the duration of bombardment and volcanism.
Researchers discovered calcium perchlorate, which lowers the freezing point, allowing for liquid water close to the Martian surface. The presence of brine suggests that large lakebeds and riverbeds existed on Mars, contradicting previous theories about a dry planet.
Researchers have calculated the size of Mars' glaciers using radar observations and ice flow modeling. The ice is found in belts around the planet, between latitudes 300-500, and is equivalent to covering the entire surface with 1.1 meters of ice.
Researchers have discovered rare spring deposits and playa formations on Mars that point to the presence of a hydrological cycle and groundwater upwelling. These findings support the idea that conditions on Mars could have been conducive to microbial colonization.
Researchers create detailed digital terrain models of Hawaiian lava flows using a kite-mounted camera and GPS system. The models reveal complex patterns of lava movement and challenge current interpretations of Martian surface features.
Scientists have estimated that Mars once had a massive ocean covering 19% of its surface, which would have made the planet habitable for longer. The new research uses detailed observations of water in Mars' atmosphere to determine the amount of water lost over time.
The Curiosity robot has confirmed an episodic increase in methane concentration in Mars' atmosphere, which may indicate the presence of biological activity. The detection is based on detailed analysis of data collected during 605 Martian days and is attributed to the tunable laser spectrometer in the SAM instrument.
Researchers have detected a mysterious high plume on Mars, extending horizontally about 500 km and reaching an exceptional altitude of 200-250 km above the planet's surface. The team used images from amateur astronomers and spacecraft to analyze the phenomenon, exploring possible scenarios such as cloud or auroral emission.
A new study suggests that a meteorite found in the Moroccan desert may be representative of the 'bulk background' of rocks on Mars. The meteorite's chemical makeup matches that of rocks analyzed by Mars rovers, indicating that it is a piece of Martian crust.
Researchers from Brown University found new evidence of glacier-like ice deposits advancing and retreating multiple times in Mars' midlatitudes, suggesting recent climate cycles. The study suggests that the planet's wobbly rotation around its axis may have driven these ice ages.
A massive celestial object impacted Mars, generating a magma ocean that solidified into the mountainous highlands of the southern hemisphere. This event, occurring around 4-15 million years after Mars' formation, is believed to have triggered volcanic activity and changed the planet's magnetic field.
Four groundbreaking science books that present scientific information in innovative ways to young audiences have earned the 2015 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize. The winning books include 'Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes' and 'Mission: Mars', which invite readers to explore their own world or prepare themselves to explore other worlds.
The UK-led Beagle 2 Mars Lander has been found on the Martian surface, ending the mystery of its disappearance in 2003. The lander's partial deployment confirms that it successfully touched down on Mars on Christmas Day 2003.
A new study suggests that water is bound to sulfates in Martian soil, a key finding with implications for the search for life on Mars. The research team analyzed elemental data from the Gamma Ray Spectrometer onboard the Mars Odyssey orbiter and found a spatial association between sulfur and hydrogen in the southern latitudes of Mars.
Researchers from Russia and international partners map water vapor distribution on Mars, revealing seasonal variations and global sandstorm impacts. Water vapor concentrations peak at 60-70 microns during northern summer, decreasing significantly during sandstorms.
Scientists have made the first definitive detection of organic molecules at Mars using NASA's Curiosity rover. The discovery suggests that ancient Martian environments may have provided a supply of reduced organic molecules for use as building blocks for life and an energy source.
The MAVEN mission has made groundbreaking discoveries about the loss of Mars' atmosphere to space over time. The spacecraft has detected a stream of solar-wind particles that penetrate deep into the planet's upper atmosphere and ionosphere, revealing a new process by which atmospheric loss occurs.
The Curiosity rover has taken samples of Martian rocks and soils using the CheMin instrument, which has provided insights into processes on Mars. The analysis reveals a complex mineralogy, including aqueous alteration and hydrated sulphates.
Scientists found that ancient rivers, streams, and lakes on Mars were likely formed during brief periods of volcanic activity, warming the planet enough for water to flow. This challenges previous climate models suggesting a cold and ice-covered world, instead proposing a more complex history with episodic heating and melting.
A new study by McGill University and UCL finds that Mars experiences a transitional 'macroweather' regime between weather and climate. The sun plays a major role in determining macroweather on Mars, with temperature and wind fluctuations occurring over 1.8 Martian days.
Two NASA and European spacecraft have gathered data about Comet Siding Spring's effects on Mars' atmosphere, detecting an intense meteor shower and a new layer of ions. The comet's debris added significant but temporary changes to the planet's upper atmosphere.
The MAVEN spacecraft successfully navigated a close pass by comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring, providing valuable insights into the Red Planet's upper atmosphere and interaction with the solar wind. The mission will continue to study Mars' atmosphere and its effects on the planet's geology.
Nathaniel Putzig, a senior research scientist at SwRI, has been awarded the NASA Planetary Science Early Career Fellowship for his work on detecting ground ice within sand dunes across the southern hemisphere of Mars. The grant will support his research project using morphologic and thermal data.
A team of MIT researchers assessed the Mars One mission's technical feasibility, highlighting the need for new technologies to keep humans alive on Mars. The study found that a system to remove excess oxygen and more advanced water extraction methods are required, among other innovations.
The mission has provided unprecedented ultraviolet images of the tenuous oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon coronas surrounding Mars. Scientists also made a comprehensive map of highly variable ozone in the Martian atmosphere underlying the coronas.
Dr. Paul Mahaffy, a leading expert on Mars chemistry, received the John C. Lindsay Memorial Award for his groundbreaking work on the Curiosity Rover's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Instrument Suite. The award honors his contributions to planetary science and exploration.
A Washington State University undergraduate has developed a new method for detecting water on Mars using an index called groundmass crystallinity. This method could potentially be useful for not only studying rocks on Earth but also on other planets.
Scientists have found a 'cell-like' structure in a Martian meteorite that once held water, providing further evidence for the possibility of life on Mars. The discovery, published in Astrobiology, suggests that beneath the surface, Mars provides conditions for life to have formed and evolved.
NASA's Asteroid Initiative aims to protect Earth from potentially hazardous impacts. Citizens participate in forums to discuss detection strategies, planetary defense, and asteroid exploration. The initiative seeks to balance costs, risks, and benefits of human exploration in space.
Researchers at Florida State University analyzed an ancient Martian meteorite to determine the Red Planet's climate history. The team found evidence of a dramatic climate shift dating back 4.4 billion years, suggesting Mars has been cold and dry for at least 1.7 billion years.
A team led by University of Oregon geologist Gregory Retallack analyzed Curiosity rover images and data to discover Earth-like soil profiles with cracked surfaces lined with sulfate. This finding suggests that Mars may have had a more habitable climate in the past, increasing the possibility of microbial life.
Researchers found that Martian salts can melt ice they touch, forming liquid water within minutes. The discovery suggests small amounts of liquid water could exist across large swaths of Mars' surface, potentially supporting microbial life.