Ready to Move to Mars? This Martian Soil Map Ranks the Best Spots for Future Greenhouses
A University of Sydney Martian soil map covering 92% of the planet's surface ranks several thousand prime future Mars greenhouse locations.
Mars
A 1,100-Mile-Long Cloud on Mars is Defying Physics—This Unexpected Discovery May Reveal Why
Mars’s most unusual cloud got even stranger when researchers combined data from the ESA Mars Express orbiter mission with a new meteorological model and discovered some very strange physics.
China is Planning to Create a Next-Generation Map of Mars Ahead of Its Historic Sample Return Mission
China is turning to artificial intelligence to create a next-generation geological map of Mars, bringing two of the world’s biggest technological competitions—the space race and AI race—together.
Perseverance Uncovers New Clues to the Complex Ancient History of Water on Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover has uncovered evidence of ancient groundwater, lake activity, and hot hydrothermal fluids near Mars’ Jezero Crater.
Could Fungi Be the Missing Ingredient for Growing Food on Mars?
The surfaces of the Moon and Mars cannot support conventional terrestrial crop growth, but a recent scientific review could offer a solution.
Look What NASA’s Perseverance Rover Just Spotted Vanishing Behind the Martian Moon Phobos
An extraordinary event recently occurred in the twilight skies above Mars, and it was all captured on camera by NASA’s Perseverance rover.
NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Crescents and Surface Details During Recent Martian Flyby
New imagery released by NASA has revealed a growing “crescent” and surface details on Mars obtained by the agency’s Psyche spacecraft.
No Sample-Return Required? Scientists Demonstrate Extraterrestrial Biosignature Detection Method Using the Mars Rover’s Existing Instruments
A new mineral-based biosignature detection method could identify signs of life on Mars using the Perseverance Rover's existing tools.
Odd “Polygons” on Mars, a Rendezvous with Space Objects, and a Deep Earth Mystery
This week in stories at The Debrief, we look at unusual features discovered on Mars, a pair of celestial rendezvous, and a deep Earth mystery.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover is Investigating Unusual Polygon Structures That Look Like a “Giant Martian Honeycomb”
An odd-looking series of polygon-shaped structures have been discovered on Mars, as revealed in new images obtained by NASA’s Curiosity Rover.
One of the Ancient World’s ‘Seven Wonders’ Resurfaces, a Red Planet Photo Op, and an “Impossible” Artifact
This week, The Debrief looks at the rediscovery of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a stunning new image of Mars, and much more.
Inside a Martian Meteorite, These Grains of an Unexpected Gemstone Hold Clues to a Hidden Past
A Martian meteorite fragment containing unexpected grains of the mineral garnet could hold clues to the Red Planet’s geological history.
NASA’s Curiosity Uncovers New Clues to Mars’ Potential of Supporting Ancient Life
NASA’s Curiosity rover has made a discovery that offers promising new indications of the ancient preservation of organic chemistry on Mars.
A Spacecraft Mysteriously Went Silent—Now NASA Officials Are Speaking Up After Months of Speculation
This week, NASA has officially confirmed the end of its MAVEN Mars mission after the spacecraft mysteriously fell silent late last year.
NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures a Surprisingly Brilliant Martian Crescent on Its Way to an Asteroid Rendezvous
After a Mars flyby on May 15, NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is well on its way to a 2029 rendezvous with the asteroid Psyche.
Scientists Have Confirmed a “Completely Unexpected” Martian Discovery with Help from NASA’s ‘MAVEN’ Mission Data
Scientists have confirmed an unexpected discovery in the atmosphere of Mars, according to newly published findings.
“For Years We Couldn’t Understand It”: What’s the Massive Anomaly Lurking in the Clouds Over Venus?
A mysterious weather anomaly on Venus has finally been explained, providing new insight into the weather volatility of other planets.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Just Revealed Surprising Surface Details on a Nearby ‘Super-Earth’
In a historic first, scientists have successfully characterized several surface features and the likely mineral composition of an exoplanet
Webb Spots an Odd Ancient Signal, an 800-Year-Old Solar Storm, and Robot Dogs on Mars
This week, the Webb Telescope spots an unusual signal, China's ancient astronomers are vindicated, and robotic dogs could be headed to Mars.
Robot Dogs on Mars? New Study Shows Semi-Autonomous Machines Could Transform Planetary Exploration
Robot dog ANYmal could transform Mars and Moon exploration, enabling faster, semi-autonomous missions across extreme terrain.
Scientists Have Discovered “Buried Mass Anomalies” Deep Below the Martian Surface—Are They Quickening the Red Planet’s Spin?
New findings that reveal the discovery of “hidden structures” pointing to the existence of a gravity anomaly 1,200 kilometers below the Martian surface.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Discovers Potentially Habitable Ancient Martian River That Could Lead to “Evidence for Past Life“
New ground-penetrating radar scans by NASA's Perseverance Rover have revealed an ancient Martian river that may have hosted life.
Mars Hit by Massive Solar Storm Delivering 200 Days of Radiation in 64 Hours
A solar superstorm recorded on Mars by the ESA orbiters reveals the hidden dangers in Mars’ upper atmosphere.
NASA Study Suggests Martian Ice Could Preserve Signs of Ancient Life for Millions of Years
If life once existed on Mars, the most likely place to find evidence of it may be locked away in the planet’s ice.
Lightning on Mars: NASA’s MAVEN Orbiter Reveals a Strange Phenomenon on the Red Planet
Researchers have identified powerful Martian electrical discharges, similar to lightning, and strong enough to be observed from orbit.
“A Potential Biosignature is Awaiting Return Now”: Congress Abandons Retrieval of Martian Rocks That May Hold Evidence of Extraterrestrial Life
Plans to retrieve Marian rocks that may contain signs of extraterrestrial life appear to have been abandoned by the US Congress.
NASA Says an “Anomaly” Has Led to Sudden Signal Loss with One of Its Spacecraft Orbiting Mars
This week, NASA revealed that one of its spacecraft currently in orbit around Mars has inexplicably lost signal due to an "anomaly."
Martian Colonies Could Be Built by Living Microbes That Produce Concrete Under Extreme Conditions, Scientists Say
Future Mars astronauts may use microbial life to produce the building materials for a permanent human colony on the Red Planet.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Hears the Crack of Martian Lightning, Providing the First Glimpse into the Red Planet’s Atmospheric Electricity
New evidence of electrical phenomena in the Martian atmosphere could expand our understanding of the Red Planet's chemistry, climate, and habitability.
Astronauts Placed an Extreme Earth Organism in Outer Space. Nine Months Later, it Was Still Alive
After placing an ancient extreme Earth organism outside of the ISS for nine months, scientists were shocked to find it was still alive.
NASA Spacecraft Discovery Could Solve the Riddle of This Mysterious Feature Buried Under Thousands of Feet of Martian Ice
NASA scientists say they may have finally identified an unusual feature hidden beneath thousands of feet of ice near the Martian south pole.
NASA Finally Reveals Long-Awaited 3I/ATLAS Images—There’s Still No Sign of Aliens
This week, NASA finally released long-awaited images of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, following weeks of silence during the record-long U.S. government shutdown.
A Strange Rock Discovered on the Martian Surface May Be a Visitor From Outer Space
3I/Atlas isn’t the only unusual space rock to be spotted recently, as NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover has spotted a possible meteorite.
“It Looked Very Strange”: Something Has Been ‘Burrowing’ to Create Odd Features on Mars—Now Scientists Finally Know Their Source
New research reveals Mars’ mysterious gullies were carved by burrowing CO₂ ice blocks, not water, reshaping its story.
3I/ATLAS is Displaying Surprising New Activity That Scientists Liken to “a Note from Another Planetary System”
Auburn University physicists have detected water activity in comet 3I/ATLAS, marking the first time hydroxyl gas, water's chemical signature, has been observed from an interstellar visitor.
Latest NASA Images of 3I/ATLAS From Recent Mars Flyby Stunned Social Media—Here’s Why It Looks So Strange
New NASA images of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS during its closest approach to Mars late last week have erupted in controversy online.
3I/ATLAS is Captured in New Images as Mysterious Object Cruises Past Mars—What Does the Latest Data Reveal?
3I/ATLAS is making its closest approach to Mars today, which could offer a chance to capture the clearest images yet of the unusual comet.
“We’re Able to See It from Space”: New Clues Point to a Vast Ocean on Ancient Mars
A recent study suggests that Mars displays clear geological signs indicating that ancient rivers once emptied into a massive body of water in its northern hemisphere.
A Mysterious Spectral Reading on Mars Leads Researchers to an Undiscovered Mineral that May Hint at Ancient Life
Mysterious spectral data from Mars reveals a previously unknown mineral, indicating a dynamic past capable of supporting life.
Is This Discovery the Closest We’ve Come to Finding Life On Another Planet?
This week, NASA’s Perseverance rover has uncovered compelling chemical signatures in Jezero Crater. Could the offer evidence of life on another planet?
3I/ATLAS is Now Headed Toward Mars, as Mystery Surrounding Interstellar Visitor Grows
This week, anticipation builds as astronomers await what the closest approach of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS might reveal.
Quakes on Mars Reveal Unexpected Geological Anomalies Preserving Ancient Impacts
New research challenges the traditional understanding of Mars’s interior, suggesting a chunky texture, unlike the usual smooth depictions.
Rare Martian Mineral Discovery Could Reveal Clues to the Red Planet’s Thermal and Chemical Evolution
Scientists have recently identified a mineral on Mars that may offer new insights into the planet's complex thermal and chemical history.
No, That’s Not ‘Coral’ on Mars—Here’s Why the Red Planet’s Terrain Often Plays Tricks on the Eye
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover recently discovered a strange Martian feature resembling a piece of Earthly ocean coral.
A Nuclear Reactor on the Moon? U.S. Races to Deploy Nuclear Power in Space Amid China-Russia Push
A newly surfaced NASA directive reveals a fast-tracked effort by the United States to deploy a nuclear reactor on the Moon and Mars.
A Forgotten Martian Landscape May Hold the Key to Ancient Water on the Red Planet
New evidence for past water on Mars was revealed in research identifying over 15,000 kilometers of dry riverbeds on the Martian surface.
NASA’s Mars Orbiter Debuts Rolling Maneuvers, Proving You Can Teach an Old Spacecraft New Tricks
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is still doing fresh things, even after close to two decades of service, shown by a new roll maneuver.
“You Need H2O and Not Just for Drinking”: Research Suggests an Icy Location for First Crewed Mars Landing
With crewed missions to the Red Planet becoming a realistic possibility for the 2030s, researchers have begun the search for an ideal Mars landing site.
Construction on Mars: NASA Suggests a Synthetic Lichen to Autonomously Convert Regolith into Building Material
On a future crewed Mars mission, explorers may grow their own building materials directly on the Red Planet.
Look What NASA’s Mars Odyssey Orbiter Just Spotted Peeking Through an Odd Martian Cloud Formation
A Martian volcano, Arsia Mons, rises above the clouds in a newly released panoramic image captured by the Mars Odyssey orbiter.