https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/mars/ Planet Mars News. Read astronomy articles on how Mars could have once supported life, the Mars Rover and more. See images and read full-text articles on Mars exploration. en-us Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:26:50 EDT Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:26:50 EDT 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/mars/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260314030449.htm NASA’s Curiosity rover is investigating strange spiderweb-like ridges on Mars that may reveal a hidden chapter of the planet’s watery history. These “boxwork” formations likely formed when groundwater flowed through cracks in the rock, leaving minerals that hardened into ridges while surrounding material eroded away. New chemical analyses of drilled rock samples show minerals linked to water activity. Sat, 14 Mar 2026 21:08:34 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260314030449.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260309225228.htm Scientists studying Mars may have uncovered a brand-new mineral hidden in the planet’s ancient sulfate deposits. By combining laboratory experiments with orbital data, researchers identified an unusual iron sulfate—ferric hydroxysulfate—forming in layered deposits near the massive Valles Marineris canyon system. The mineral likely formed when sulfate-rich deposits left behind by ancient water were later heated by volcanic or geothermal activity, transforming their chemistry. Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:23:47 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260309225228.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260131084555.htm NASA’s Perseverance rover has just made history by driving across Mars using routes planned by artificial intelligence instead of human operators. A vision-capable AI analyzed the same images and terrain data normally used by rover planners, identified hazards like rocks and sand ripples, and charted a safe path across the Martian surface. After extensive testing in a virtual replica of the rover, Perseverance successfully followed the AI-generated routes, traveling hundreds of feet autonomously. Sat, 31 Jan 2026 08:45:55 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260131084555.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260122032004.htm NASA astronaut Suni Williams has retired after 27 years of service and a career defined by endurance, leadership, and firsts in space. She spent 608 days in orbit, completed nine spacewalks, and twice commanded the International Space Station. Williams flew on everything from the space shuttle to Boeing’s Starliner, playing a key role in shaping modern human spaceflight. Her legacy will influence future missions to the Moon and beyond. Thu, 22 Jan 2026 04:11:44 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260122032004.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251125081919.htm Mars’s Coloe Fossae reveals a landscape shaped by ancient ice ages, with deep valleys, cratered terrain, and frozen debris flows preserved from a time when the planet’s climate dramatically shifted. Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:05:14 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251125081919.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251012054618.htm ESA’s Mars orbiters have observed comet 3I/ATLAS, only the third interstellar comet ever discovered. The faint, distant object revealed a glowing coma as it was heated by the Sun. Researchers are still studying the data to understand its makeup and origins. This rare event also foreshadows future missions like the Comet Interceptor, designed to chase such elusive visitors. Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:16:28 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251012054618.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250930034204.htm Perseverance rover data shows Jezero Crater once held a calm lake, leaving behind mudstones rich in organic-linked minerals. The presence of iron-phosphate and iron-sulfide nodules suggests processes resembling microbial activity on Earth. Scientists caution that only Earth-based labs can confirm their true origin, but the samples collected may hold the strongest evidence yet of ancient Martian life. Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:54:17 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250930034204.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250916032210.htm NASA’s Perseverance rover has delivered its most compelling clue yet in the search for life on Mars. A rock sample called “Sapphire Canyon,” taken from the Bright Angel formation in Jezero Crater, shows unusual mineral patterns known as “leopard spots” that may have formed through microbial activity. While non-biological processes could also explain the find, scientists say the chemical fingerprints look strikingly similar to those left behind by microbes on Earth. Tue, 16 Sep 2025 03:31:04 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250916032210.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250912195114.htm Mars’ Jezero Crater holds signs of ancient water and strange mineral reactions, some linked with organic compounds. With Perseverance’s samples and AI-refined mineral maps, scientists are closing in on whether Mars once had the chemistry needed for life. Fri, 12 Sep 2025 22:38:43 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250912195114.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250815034727.htm Captured at a location called “Falbreen,” this 360-degree view mosaic was stitched together 96 images that were acquired May 26, 2025. In the upper image, the enhanced-color mosaic features deceptively blue skies and the 43rd rock abrasion (the white patch at center-left) of the NASA Perseverance rover’s mission at Mars. Below, in the natural-color version of the “Falbreen” panorama, colors have not been enhanced and the sky appears more reddish. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS Fri, 15 Aug 2025 05:51:40 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250815034727.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250814081825.htm Thirteen years after landing on Mars, NASA’s Curiosity rover is running smarter and more efficiently than ever. With new autonomy and multitasking capabilities, it’s maximizing the output from its long-lasting nuclear power source while exploring a striking region of boxwork formations that may hold clues to ancient water and possible microbial life. As it navigates the towering slopes of Mount Sharp, Curiosity’s upgrades help it conserve power, conduct more science, and continue unraveling how Mars transformed from a watery world to the frozen desert it is today. Thu, 14 Aug 2025 22:52:06 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250814081825.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250726234412.htm Engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison uncovered a critical flaw in how lunar and Martian rovers are tested on Earth. Simulations revealed that test results have been misleading for decades because researchers only adjusted rover weight to simulate low gravity—but ignored how Earth’s gravity affects the terrain itself. Using a powerful simulation tool called Chrono, the team showed that sandy surfaces behave very differently on the Moon, where they’re fluffier and less supportive. Sun, 27 Jul 2025 03:26:38 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250726234412.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250711082745.htm NASA is gearing up for an exciting chapter in lunar exploration by sending a trio of high-tech instruments to the Moon. Two of the devices will be attached to a new lunar rover capable of carrying astronauts or operating remotely, while the third will gather data from orbit. These tools will hunt for ice, map minerals, and analyze what lies beneath the surface, offering a clearer picture of the Moon s makeup and potential resources. Fri, 11 Jul 2025 08:27:45 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250711082745.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250616040223.htm For the first time in history, we re seeing the Sun from an angle no one ever has: from above and below its poles. Thanks to the European Space Agency s Solar Orbiter and its tilted orbit, scientists have captured groundbreaking images and data that are unlocking mysteries about the Sun s magnetic field, its puzzling 11-year cycle, and the powerful solar wind. Instruments aboard the spacecraft are already revealing strange, chaotic magnetic behavior near the Sun s south pole and tracking solar particles like never before. As the Orbiter climbs to even steeper viewing angles over the next few years, the secrets of our star may finally be within reach. Mon, 16 Jun 2025 04:02:23 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250616040223.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250213144634.htm New findings explain the Phoenix cluster's mysterious starburst. Data confirm the cluster is actively cooling and able to generate a huge amount of stellar fuel on its own. Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:46:34 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250213144634.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241113160829.htm An asteroid struck Mars 11 million years ago and sent pieces of the red planet hurtling through space. One of these chunks of Mars eventually crashed into the Earth and is one of the few meteorites that can be traced directly to Mars. This meteorite was rediscovered in a drawer at Purdue University in 1931 and therefore named the Lafayette Meteorite. During early investigations of the Lafayette Meteorite, scientists discovered that it had interacted with liquid water while on Mars. Scientists have long wondered when that interaction with liquid water took place. Scientists have recently determined the age of the minerals in the Lafayette Meteorite that formed when there was liquid water. Wed, 13 Nov 2024 16:08:29 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241113160829.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240814124510.htm Scientists report that rock samples from Mars' Jezero Crater contain minerals that are typically formed in water. While the presence of organic matter is inconclusive, the rocks could be scientists' best chance at finding remnants of ancient Martian life. Wed, 14 Aug 2024 12:45:10 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240814124510.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240701232841.htm Two samples from Mars together deliver clear evidence of the origin of Martian organic material. The study presents solid evidence for a prediction made over a decade ago that could be key to understanding how organic molecules, the foundation of life, were first formed here on Earth. Mon, 01 Jul 2024 23:28:41 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240701232841.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628124857.htm An international team of researchers combine orbital imagery with seismological data from NASA's Mars InSight lander to derive a new impact rate for meteorite strikes on Mars. Seismology also offers a new tool for determining the density of Mars' craters and the age of different regions of a planet. Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:48:57 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628124857.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240415163720.htm The mystery of how Pluto got a giant heart-shaped feature on its surface has finally been solved by an international team of astrophysicists. The team is the first to successfully reproduce the unusual shape with numerical simulations, attributing it to a giant and slow oblique-angle impact. Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:37:20 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240415163720.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240304135739.htm Geologists determined the original orientation of many of the Mars bedrock samples collected by the Perseverance rover. The findings can give scientists clues to the conditions in which the rocks originally formed. Mon, 04 Mar 2024 13:57:39 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240304135739.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240222122312.htm Scientists suspect Mars once had long-lived rivers, lakes and streams. Today, water on Mars is found in ice at the poles and trapped below the Martian surface. Researchers now reveal that Mars also may have had hydrothermal systems based on the hydrated magnesium sulfate the rover identified in the volcanic rocks. Thu, 22 Feb 2024 12:23:12 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240222122312.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230522131339.htm Researchers found that the Hunga-Tonga eruption was associated with the formation of an equatorial plasma bubble in the ionosphere, a phenomenon associated with disruption of satellite-based communications. Their findings also suggest that a long-held atmospheric model should be revised. Mon, 22 May 2023 13:13:39 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230522131339.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/12/221205121545.htm Orbital observations unveil the presence of an enormous mantle plume pushing the surface of Mars upward and driving intense volcanic and seismic activity. The discovery reveals that Mars, like Earth and Venus, possesses an active interior, which challenges current views on the evolution of the red planet. Mon, 05 Dec 2022 12:15:45 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/12/221205121545.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221027154210.htm NASA's InSight lander recorded a magnitude 4 marsquake last Dec. 24, but scientists learned only later the cause of that quake: a meteoroid strike estimated to be one of the biggest seen on Mars since NASA began exploring the cosmos. What's more, the meteoroid excavated boulder-size chunks of ice buried closer to the Martian equator than ever found before -- a discovery with implications for NASA's future plans to send astronauts to the Red Planet. Thu, 27 Oct 2022 15:42:10 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221027154210.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221027123925.htm Until now, Mars has been generally considered a geologically dead planet. An international team of researchers now reports that seismic signals indicate vulcanism still plays an active role in shaping the Martian surface. Thu, 27 Oct 2022 12:39:25 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221027123925.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221025112601.htm Researchers have developed a new approach to balancing the risks and scientific value of sending planetary rovers into dangerous situations. Tue, 25 Oct 2022 11:26:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221025112601.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/09/220916153722.htm NASA's Perseverance rover is well into its second science campaign, collecting rock-core samples from features within an area long considered by scientists to be a top prospect for finding signs of ancient microbial life on Mars. Fri, 16 Sep 2022 15:37:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/09/220916153722.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220113151349.htm Organic molecules found in a meteorite that hurtled to Earth from Mars were synthesized during interactions between water and rocks that occurred on the Red Planet about 4 billion years ago, according to new analysis. Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:13:49 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220113151349.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211129172751.htm Using observations from NASA's ICON mission, scientists presented the first direct measurements of Earth's long-theorized dynamo on the edge of space: a wind-driven electrical generator that spans the globe 60-plus miles above our heads. The dynamo churns in the ionosphere, the electrically charged boundary between Earth and space. It's powered by tidal winds in the upper atmosphere that are faster than most hurricanes and rise from the lower atmosphere, creating an electrical environment that can affect satellites and technology on Earth. Mon, 29 Nov 2021 17:27:51 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211129172751.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211123130704.htm NASA's Mars mission InSight probes the geology of the Elysium Planitia, finding alternate layers of basalt and sediments. An international team of scientists compares on-the-ground data with data from models, which helps to understand, e.g., the surface's load-bearing capacity and trafficability. Tue, 23 Nov 2021 13:07:04 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211123130704.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210722195000.htm A team is paving the way for future rovers to search for meteorites on Mars. The scientists are using an extensive meteorite collection to test the spectral instruments destined for the ExoMars rover Rosalind Franklin, and develop tools to identify meteorites on the surface of the red planet. Thu, 22 Jul 2021 19:50:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210722195000.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210510192532.htm New observations reveal that Mars could still be volcanically active, raising the possibility for habitable conditions in the near surface of Mars in recent history. Ongoing research investigates the possibility that the most recent volcanic activity on Mars, which occurred about 50,000 years ago, might have been triggered by a nearby asteroid impact that happened around the same time. Mon, 10 May 2021 19:25:32 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210510192532.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210419100103.htm The small rotorcraft made history, hovering above Jezero Crater, demonstrating that powered, controlled flight on another planet is possible. Mon, 19 Apr 2021 10:01:03 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210419100103.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210305163613.htm The first trek of NASA's largest, most advanced rover yet on the Red Planet marks a major milestone before science operations get under way. Fri, 05 Mar 2021 16:36:13 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210305163613.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210222171749.htm New video from NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover chronicles major milestones during the final minutes of its entry, descent, and landing (EDL) on the Red Planet on Feb. 18 as the spacecraft plummeted, parachuted, and rocketed toward the surface of Mars. A microphone on the rover also has provided the first audio recording of sounds from Mars. Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:17:49 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210222171749.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210218162028.htm The largest, most advanced rover NASA has sent to another world touched down on Mars Thursday, after a 203-day journey traversing 293 million miles (472 million kilometers). About the size of a car, the robotic geologist and astrobiologist will undergo several weeks of testing before it begins its two-year science investigation of Mars' Jezero Crater. A fundamental part of its mission is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. Thu, 18 Feb 2021 16:20:28 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210218162028.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201130131503.htm There is no weather in space - but there is weathering: Celestial bodies are bombarded by high energy particles. On the Mars moon Phobos, the situation is complicated: It is hit by particles from the sun, but it is partly shielded by Mars. New experiments explain what is going on, in 2024 a space mission will reach Phobos and check the results. Mon, 30 Nov 2020 13:15:03 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201130131503.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200819120700.htm NASA JPL are developing autonomous capabilities that could allow future Mars rovers to go farther, faster and do more science. Training machine learning models on the Maverick2, their team developed and optimized models for Drive-By Science and Energy-Optimal Autonomous Navigation. Wed, 19 Aug 2020 12:07:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200819120700.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200730133724.htm NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission is on its way to the Red Planet to search for signs of ancient life and collect samples to send back to Earth. Thu, 30 Jul 2020 13:37:24 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200730133724.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200603100456.htm New images of the Martian moon Phobos give scientists insight into the physical properties of the moon and its composition. Wed, 03 Jun 2020 10:04:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200603100456.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200519165849.htm By studying the chemical elements on Mars today -- including carbon and oxygen -- scientists can work backwards to piece together the history of a planet that once had the conditions necessary to support life. Tue, 19 May 2020 16:58:49 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200519165849.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200513143805.htm Built with wheeled appendages that can be lifted and wheels able to 'wiggle,' a new robot known as the 'Mini Rover' has developed and tested complex locomotion techniques robust enough to help it climb hills covered with granular material -- and avoid the risk of getting ignominiously stuck on some remote planet or moon. Wed, 13 May 2020 14:38:05 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200513143805.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330110336.htm Researchers probed Martian meteorites to reconstruct Mars' chaotic history. Their findings suggest that Mars might not have had a global magma ocean. Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:03:36 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200330110336.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200204112548.htm A 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen controls Pluto's winds and may give rise to features on its surface, according to a new study. Tue, 04 Feb 2020 11:25:48 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200204112548.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191007112956.htm If you could travel back in time 3.5 billion years, what would Mars look like? The picture is evolving among scientists working with NASA's Curiosity rover. Mon, 07 Oct 2019 11:29:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191007112956.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190314123157.htm Three years ago, on March 14 2016, the Bernese Mars camera CaSSIS started its journey to Mars with the 'ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter' spacecraft. The camera system has been observing Mars from its primary science orbit since April 2018 and provides high-resolution, color images of the surface. On 2 March 2019, CaSSIS also delivered its first image of InSight, NASA's lander on Mars. Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:31:57 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190314123157.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190213150035.htm One of the most successful and enduring feats of interplanetary exploration, NASA's Opportunity rover mission is at an end after almost 15 years exploring the surface of Mars and helping lay the groundwork for NASA's return to the Red Planet. Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:00:35 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190213150035.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181126152349.htm Mars has just received its newest robotic resident. NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) lander successfully touched down on the Red Planet after an almost seven-month, 300-million-mile (458-million-kilometer) journey from Earth. Mon, 26 Nov 2018 15:23:49 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181126152349.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181126074820.htm NASA's Mars Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) spacecraft is on track for a soft touchdown on the surface of the Red Planet on Nov. 26. Engineers will be keeping a close eye on the stream of data indicating InSight's health and trajectory, and monitoring Martian weather reports to figure out if the team needs to make any final adjustments in preparation for landing. Mon, 26 Nov 2018 07:48:20 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181126074820.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181120125808.htm Computer models shine a light on the origin of the Mars moon Phobos' distinctive grooves. Tue, 20 Nov 2018 12:58:08 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181120125808.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180927105612.htm Researchers have developed a software tool for computer-aided discovery that could help mission planners make these decisions. It automatically produces maps of favorable landing sites, using the available data on Mars' geology and terrain, as well as a list of scientific priorities and engineering constraints that a user can specify. Thu, 27 Sep 2018 10:56:12 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180927105612.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180926140712.htm When dust filled the Martian atmosphere during the recent planet-wide dust storm, observations were plentiful -- even from unlikely instruments. Wed, 26 Sep 2018 14:07:12 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180926140712.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180924144035.htm Phobos, the larger of Mars' two tiny satellites, is the darkest moon in the solar system. This dark aspect inspired the hypothesis that the close-orbiting moon may be a captured asteroid, but its orbital dynamics seemed to disagree. A new study suggests Phobos' composition may be more like the volcanic crust of the Red Planet than it appears, consistent with an origin for the moon in an ancient, violent impact on Mars. Mon, 24 Sep 2018 14:40:35 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180924144035.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180806095218.htm Scientists believe the solar system was formed some 4.6 billion years ago when a cloud of gas and dust collapsed under gravity possibly triggered by a cataclysmic explosion from a nearby massive star or supernova. As this cloud collapsed, it formed a spinning disk with the sun in the center. Since then scientists have been able to establish the formation of the solar system piece by piece. Mon, 06 Aug 2018 09:52:18 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180806095218.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180730120307.htm Science fiction writers have long featured terraforming, the process of creating an Earth-like or habitable environment on another planet, in their stories. Scientists themselves have proposed terraforming to enable the long-term colonization of Mars. A solution common to both groups is to release carbon dioxide gas trapped in the Martian surface to thicken the atmosphere and act as a blanket to warm the planet. Mon, 30 Jul 2018 12:03:07 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180730120307.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180620170956.htm A storm of tiny dust particles has engulfed much of Mars over the last two weeks and prompted NASA's Opportunity rover to suspend science operations. But across the planet, NASA's Curiosity rover, which has been studying Martian soil at Gale Crater, is expected to remain largely unaffected by the dust. The Martian dust storm has grown in size and is now officially a 'planet-encircling' (or 'global') dust event. Wed, 20 Jun 2018 17:09:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180620170956.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180618102553.htm Explosive volcanic eruptions that shot jets of hot ash, rock and gas skyward are the likely source of a mysterious Martian rock formation, a new study finds. The new finding could add to scientists' understanding of Mars's interior and its past potential for habitability, according to the study's authors. Mon, 18 Jun 2018 10:25:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180618102553.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180608003155.htm The climate throughout Mars' early history has long been debated -- was the Red Planet warm and wet, or cold and icy? New research published in Icarus provides evidence for the latter. Fri, 08 Jun 2018 00:31:55 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180608003155.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180607142916.htm NASA's Curiosity rover has found new evidence preserved in rocks on Mars that suggests the planet could have supported ancient life, as well as new evidence in the Martian atmosphere that relates to the search for current life on the Red Planet. Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:29:16 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180607142916.htm