Seismic clues from NASA’s InSight mission suggest that Mars hides a solid inner core, and raise new questions about why the planet’s magnetic field disappeared.
Mars
Posted inResearch & Developments
Perseverance Sample Shows Possible Evidence of Ancient Martian Microbial Metabolisms
A sample collected in July 2024 by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover may be “the closest we’ve actually come to discovering ancient life on Mars,” according to Nicky Fox, the science head of NASA.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
First Complete Picture of Nighttime Clouds on Mars
Data captured by the Emirates Mars Mission reveal that clouds are typically thicker during Martian nighttime than daytime.
Posted inFeatures
Tanya Harrison: Roving on Mars
This planetary geologist has worked on nearly every Mars rover while connecting government, universities, the private sector, and the public.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Water Tracks: The Veins of Thawing Landscapes
Tracing and tracking change in permafrost flowpaths could reveal the dynamics of warming poles.
Posted inNews
Scientists Spot Sputtering on Mars
Nearly a decade’s worth of data went into the first direct observation of sputtering on Mars, which researchers believe contributed to the loss of the Red Planet’s atmosphere.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Orbiter Pair Expands View of Martian Ionosphere
Radio signals sent between two Mars orbiters—rather than between an orbiter and an Earth-based receiver—capture new insights into atmospheric dynamics.
Posted inNews
Mini Dunes Form When Sand Stops Bouncing
Decoding how sand grains move and accumulate on Earth can also help scientists understand dune formation on Mars.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Proposed Experiment Could Clarify Origin of Martian Methane
Curiosity’s detection of the gas, if atmospheric, could be an indicator of life on the Red Planet. But skeptics say further work is needed to rule out the rover itself as the source of the methane.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Young Rivers on a Martian Volcano Reveal Insights into the Amazonian Climate
A comprehensive inventory of rivers on Alba Mons on Mars reveals a prolonged history of erosion and development into mature drainage networks during the Amazonian, with contributions of rainfall and snow melt.