Martian sandworms: How CO₂ ice blocks carve mysterious gullies on Mars
The strange gullies etched into the red sands of Mars have long puzzled scientists.
Were they carved by running water, avalanches, or perhaps even traces...
Could life survive on Mars? Yeast passes the ultimate red planet test
Could life—past or future—survive on Mars?
New research suggests that even the simplest organisms from Earth might be tougher than we think.
Scientists have discovered that...
20 years of space images reveal the secrets of Mars dust devils
For decades, we’ve known that Mars is a dusty world.
Its red surface is constantly shaped by wind, storms, and whirlwinds that dance across its...
Wind-powered tumbleweed rover could roll across Mars
Imagine exploring Mars not with a handful of expensive, heavy rovers, but with swarms of lightweight, wind-driven spheres rolling across the red planet like...
Scientists unveil smarter lithium batteries for Mars exploration
Exploring Mars is one of humanity’s most ambitious goals, but it comes with huge technical challenges.
Among them is how to keep rovers, instruments, and...
Tea plants thrive in Moon soil, but fail on Mars
The idea of astronauts enjoying a cup of tea on the Moon may not be so far-fetched after all.
A team of researchers from the...
Mars could once have had an ozone shield like Earth, study finds
Scientists studying the harsh winter at Mars’s north pole have uncovered surprising conditions inside the planet’s polar vortex—an enormous, swirling current of air that...
Scientists discover minerals on Mars that mirror life on Earth
Scientists have uncovered one of the strongest pieces of evidence yet that Mars may once have been home to microbial life.
A new study, led...
Why autonomous reactors are key to powering human life on Mars
Sending humans to Mars will require reliable energy systems that can work without constant human attention.
One of the most promising options is nuclear power,...
Mars has a solid core, solving a planetary mystery
For decades, scientists have puzzled over the deep interior of Mars.
Did it resemble Earth, with a solid center wrapped in a liquid outer core,...