mars

New research suggests that Mars has been red for millions of years longer than previously thought. The study has “transformed” understanding of how the “red planet” developed its distinct hue, say American scientists. Previous research revealed that the red color is due to rusted iron minerals in the dust. Scientists say iron bound up in Mars’s rocks has at some point reacted with liquid water, or water and oxygen in the air, similar to how rust forms on Earth. The rusty material – iron oxide – broke down into dust over billions of years and was spread all around the…

Mars may have once been home to sun-soaked, sandy beaches, suggests a new study. The findings “strengthen” the case that the red planet was once home to alien lifeforms, say scientists. An international research team used data from a Chinese rover that landed on Mars in 2021 to identify hidden layers of rock under the surface that strongly indicate the presence of an ancient northern ocean. The now-inactive rover, called Zhurong, operated between May 2021 and May 2022. It traveled 1.2 miles (1.9 kms) near escarpments thought to be an ancient shoreline four billion years ago when Mars had a…

SWSMhearts – by Dean Murray Social media users are swooning over images of heart shapes found on Mars. The series of pictures were captured from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) earlier this century, but have caused hearts to flutter now they’ve resurfaced online on Valentine’s Day this year (14 Feb). Shared on X, they’ve drawn comments including “Looks like Mars has been secretly playing Cupid all along! Even the Red Planet has a soft spot for love,” and “I think when we shift to Mars, these could be the spots where all the lovers could meet up!” NASA’s Jet Propulsion…