The Mars Perseverance rover has detected intact organic molecules near previously-described potential signatures of ancient life, according to a new study published today in Science Advances.
Mars
Carbon-Rich Rocks May Have Cooled the Ancient Martian Atmosphere
Data from the Perseverance rover indicate abundant carbonates in Jezero Crater, a finding with implications for Mars’s climatic history.
What Winds Whip Up Otherworldly Waves?
New research goes back to the basics to explain how atmospheric conditions affect the creation of wind-driven waves on other worlds.
Martian Aerosols Reveal Dynamics of Dust and Cloud Transport
A new study presents a nine-Martian-year survey of dust and water ice clouds vertical distribution, key drivers of the planet’s climate.
What Makes Mars’s Magnetotail Flap?
Spacecraft reveal a key driver of up-and-down motions of thin, current-carrying plasma sheets on the nightside of Mars.
Curiosity Stumbles Upon Evidence of Ancient Martian Winds
Researchers have found evidence of a sandstorm on Mars that occurred about 3.6 billion years ago.
Solar Flare Spotlights the Martian Ionosphere
A “lucky” linkup between orbiters helped scientists study how the Red Planet’s ionosphere responds to solar events.
A Double-Edged Sword: The Global Oxychlorine Cycle on Mars
Global detections of oxychlorine salts reveal a complex, 4-billion-year chemical cycle on Mars. They can act as de-icing agents, oxidants, a hazard and a vital resource for future human exploration.
A Road Map to Truly Sustainable Water Systems in Space
Future astronauts need efficient, durable, and trustworthy closed-loop systems to provide water for missions lasting months to years.
