A detailed study of evaporite (chloride) deposits on Mars shows that small bodies of surface water persisted until about 2.5 Ga, more recently than previously thought.
Mars
Posted inEditors' Vox
The Mystery of Methane on Mars Thickens
Two recently published papers zoom in on the mystery source of methane in the Martian atmosphere.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Measuring Carbon Ion Loss from the Martian Atmosphere
The flux, observed with NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft, is in line with models and 1–2 orders of magnitude lower than that of oxygen ions.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Using Hematite to Decipher Past Climates and Environments
The magnetic and color properties of the mineral hematite give clues to past environmental conditions and is being used for paleoclimatic reconstruction.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Western U.S. “Megafloods” Might Not Have Been So Mega
The flooding that carved eastern Washington State 20,000 to 12,000 years ago could have been 80% smaller than the canyons’ volume today.
Posted inNews
A New Explanation for Organics on a Mars Rock That Fell to Earth
Organic molecules on a Martian meteorite have fueled nearly 30 years of scientific debate. New evidence suggests they were formed by Martian processes, offering more support for a once habitable environment on the Red Planet.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Scientists Turn Back Time to Track Methane Emissions on Mars
Period spikes of methane on Mars could originate inside Gale crater, where NASA’s Curiosity rover is currently exploring.s
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Machine Learning Algorithms Help Scientists Explore Mars
Researchers applied machine learning algorithms to several distinct chemical compositions of Mars and suggest that these algorithms could be a powerful tool to map the planet’s surface on a large scale.
Posted inScience Updates
Planetary Dunes Tell of Otherworldly Winds
On Earth and throughout our solar system, ripples and dunes in sand and dust offer insights into how winds blow, liquid currents flow, and solid particles fly and bounce over the terrain.