Mars News Headlines

on May 20, 2025 at 8:34 pm

Astronomers have filled a large gap in knowledge about Mars' water cycle. Their research on water percolating from surface to aquifer could change the picture of what early Mars was like, suggesting that less of the planet's water may have been available to become rain and refill lakes and oceans.

on May 19, 2025 at 5:15 pm

Researchers analyzed a global database of 500,000 strange streaks that occur on steep Martian slopes, concluding that they're most likely caused by dry processes rather than liquid flow.

on April 21, 2025 at 8:31 pm

Geologists weigh in on a long-running debate about Mars: Billions of years ago, was the Red Planet warm and wet or cold and dry?

on April 18, 2025 at 4:53 pm

Researchers use the sophisticated technology on NASA's Perseverance rover to analyze volcanic rocks in Mars' Jezero Crater. Their findings show that some of the same volcanic processes that led to life on Earth happened long ago on Mars, a stunning step toward finding signs of ancient life on the Red Planet.

on April 17, 2025 at 6:49 pm

Research from NASA's Curiosity rover has found evidence of a carbon cycle on ancient Mars.

on April 16, 2025 at 7:19 pm

A new study analyzing data from NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered compelling evidence of multiple mineral-forming events just beneath the Martian surface -- findings that bring scientists one step closer to answering the profound question: Did life ever exist on Mars?

on April 15, 2025 at 6:35 pm

First ever supercomputer simulations of Mars with a fully molten core could explain the Red Planet's unusual magnetic field. Billions of years ago, Mars had an active magnetic field. Mysteriously, its imprint is strongest in the southern hemisphere. Researchers found that Mars could have produced a one-sided magnetic field with a fully molten core, rather than the traditional, Earth-like solid inner core setup.

on March 31, 2025 at 4:21 pm

Inhaling dust particles from the Red Planet over long periods of time could put humans at risk of developing respiratory issues, thyroid disease and other health problems.

on March 24, 2025 at 7:24 pm

The longest organic molecules identified to date on Mars have recently been detected. These long carbon chains, containing up to 12 consecutive carbon atoms, could exhibit features similar to the fatty acids produced on Earth by biological activity. The lack of geological activity and the cold, arid climate on Mars have helped preserve this invaluable organic matter in a clay-rich sample for the past 3.7 billion years. It therefore dates from the period during which life first emerged on Earth.

on March 24, 2025 at 3:38 pm

To mitigate global climate change, emissions of the primary culprit, carbon dioxide, must be drastically reduced. A newly developed process helps solve this problem: CO2 is directly split electrochemically into carbon and oxygen. Oxygen could also be produced in this way under water or in space -- without requiring stringent conditions such as pressure and temperature.

on March 13, 2025 at 10:04 pm

Water once existed in abundance of at the surface of Mars. How much of that water has been stored in the planet's crust is still unclear, according to a new analysis.

on March 6, 2025 at 5:10 pm

A new study revealed that atmospheric gravity waves play a crucial role in driving latitudinal air currents on Mars, particularly at high altitudes. The findings, based on long-term atmospheric data, offer a fresh perspective on the behaviors of Mars' middle atmosphere, highlighting fundamental differences from Earth's. The study applied methods developed to explore Earth's atmosphere to quantitatively estimate the influence of gravity waves on Mars' planetary circulation.

on March 6, 2025 at 3:40 am

Within the next decade, space agencies plan to bring samples of rock from Mars to Earth for study. Of concern is the possibility these samples contain life, which could have unforeseen consequences. Therefore, researchers in this field strive to create methods to detect life. Researchers have now successfully demonstrated a method to detect life in ancient rocks analogous to those found on Mars.

on February 26, 2025 at 7:24 pm

Researchers are looking underfoot to uncover the mysterious past of Mars: Martian regoliths in the soil. Their water storage capabilities may help us understand the change in water on Mars over time.

on February 25, 2025 at 5:20 pm

A new study shows a water-rich mineral could explain the planet's color -- and hint at its wetter, more habitable past.

on February 24, 2025 at 8:51 pm

Mars may have once been home to sun-soaked, sandy beaches with gentle, lapping waves according to a new study.

on February 5, 2025 at 7:27 pm

Earliest inner solar system planetesimals shaped the inventory of moderately volatile elements in terrestrial planets.

on January 28, 2025 at 5:43 pm

As humankind imagines living off-planet -- on the moon, Mars and beyond -- the question of how to sustain life revolves around the physical necessities of oxygen, food and water. We know there is water on the moon, but how do we find it? Researchers may help bring science fiction to reality by providing a divining rod to guide future space missions.

on January 28, 2025 at 5:36 pm

The fact that the cold, dry Mars of today had flowing rivers and lakes several billion years ago has puzzled scientists for decades. Now, researchers think they have a good explanation for a warmer, wetter ancient Mars. Building on prior theories describing the Mars of yore as a hot again, cold again place, a team has determined the chemical mechanisms by which ancient Mars was able to sustain enough warmth in its early days to host water, and possibly life.

on December 19, 2024 at 8:19 pm

Scientists are changing our understanding of climate and weather on Mars and providing critical insights into Earth's atmospheric processes as well.