Innovative New Method of Harvesting Oxygen on Mars Puts the Fourth State of Matter to Work
New research suggests a process to extract oxygen from the Martian atmosphere using plasma, the fourth state of matter.
Mars
2033 Will Mark a New Milestone as NASA Delivers First Samples From Mars
NASA has outlined its latest plans for its ambitious Mars Sample Return Program, now expected to deliver samples collected by the Perseverance rover back to Earth by 2033.
Mysterious “String” Spotted by Mars Rover Suddenly Disappears
A piece of string-like material photographed on Mars by the Perseverance Rover just last week has suddenly disappeared.
Backpacking on the Moon with LIDAR Mapping
Future NASA astronauts will map the Moon, Mars, and other worlds using a portable, lidar-equipped backpack. Derived from...
NASA Says Video of Mars UFOs Likely Fake
According to NASA, images of two separate UFOs photographed by the Perseverance Rover hanging in the skies of...
Perseverance Starts Year-Long River Delta Life Hunt
Delta Considered Likeliest Place for Rover to Find Signs of Ancient Microbial Life
Delta Considered Likeliest Place for Rover to Find Signs of Ancient Microbial Life
NASA’s Perseverance rover is about to spend the next year hunting an ancient river delta for signs of Martian life.
Martian ‘A.I.-Biker’ Rovers Could Swarm Red Planet
Two-wheeled Martian rovers designed to work independently and as a team may one day search the planet’s surface like a swarm of AI-bikers.
Newly Discovered Martian Ice Craters Reveal More History of the Planet
Researchers from the American Geophysical Union look into newly discovered ice caps on Mars to learn more about the planet's beginnings.
Panspermia: Meteors and Spores to the Fore
What is the evidence for the controversial theory of panspermia? Could simple forms of life really survive in outer space?
Perseverance Rover Spots Artificial Object on Mars
Further Review Confirms Object is Discarded Rover Drill Bit
Further Review Confirms Object is Discarded Rover Drill Bit
NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover has photographed something or the red planet’s surface that is clearly not natural.
A Surprise Discovery on Mars Offers Clues in the Search for Life
This week we look at what recent findings suggest about the possible existence of life on ancient Mars, and why the question of biology shouldn’t be ruled out.
Mars Curiosity Rover Finds “Tantalizing” Signs of Life
NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover has found signs of a type of carbon that is associated with biological processes...
Organic Material in Martian Meteorite is NOT Biological
However, New Research Reconfirms Mars' Watery Past and Potential for Life
However, New Research Reconfirms Mars' Watery Past and Potential for Life
Organic material found in a Martian meteorite does not have a biological origin, new research has determined. Instead,...
China’s Tianwen 1 Uses Second Spacecraft to Take Selfie
After hanging around the Martian orbit for nearly a full calendar year, China’s Tianwen 1 spacecraft launched a...
Is Terraforming Mars & Venus Actually Possible?
Terraforming Mars and even Venus may be possible, says a four-decade veteran of NASA. In fact, the former...
Huge Water Deposit Found in Mars “Grand Canyon”
A massive water deposit almost twice the size of Vermont has been discovered just beneath the surface of...
MARS Perseverance Rover Reveals Key Discoveries
NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover has made some exciting new discoveries, offering even more clues to the red planet’s...
How an Artificial Magnetic Field Could Make Mars Habitable
A new study suggests that humans may possess the technological capabilities to create an artificial magnetic field, or...
NASA’s Retirement Plans for the International Space Station
This week, we look at the retirement plans NASA has outlined for the International Space Station, and future space stations it will build with commercial partners.
NASA Wants Battelle to Put a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
NASA wants Battelle to put a fission based nuclear reactor on the moon, and is asking anyone and...
Space Travelers Might Use Mushrooms as Radiation Shields
Space travelers and off-world colonists may use mushrooms as radiation shields thanks to a special type of fungus...
Biofuel to Power Martian Return Missions Can Be Made on Site, New Research Says
Researchers have proposed a method of creating biofuel on Mars using only sunlight, CO2, and ice on the red planet’s surface.
New ‘Astroagriculture’ Research May Have Just Solved How We Grow Food on Mars
New research shows that nitrogen-fixing bacteria can help plants grow better in Mars-like soils, putting us on the path to astroagriculture.
Mars’ Jezero Crater Was Home to a River Delta Like Those Found On Earth, New Study Confirms
An international team have determined that Mar's Jezero Crater once contained a massive river delta like those found on Earth.
First Rocks Sampled by Mars Perseverance Rover Dramatically Improve Chances for Life
Tests performed on the first two rock samples collected on Mars indicate that the planet was home to liquid water for an extended period.
NASA Just Released One of The Most Detailed High-Def Videos of Mars, and You Need To See It
On August 17th, NASA released a nearly 3-minute video featuring a high-def panorama of the Martian surface shot by the Curiosity Rover.
NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Has Now Completed a Dozen Successful Flights Over Mars
With another successful flight logged on Sunday, NASA's Ingenuity helicopter has now completed a total of twelve flight missions on Mars.
These Two Future Mars Missions Could Prove Life Thrives on the Red Planet
Dr. Ryuki Hyodo explains the MSR and MMX missions, and how their search for past and present signs of life on Mars have the potential to alter the course of human history.
NASA Looking For People Willing To Spend a Year Living in Simulated Martian Habitat
NASA has announced it's currently looking for people who would be willing to spend a year living in a simulated Martian habitat.
Curiosity Rover Finds That Signs of Martian Life May Have Been Erased
Researchers studied Martian materials collected by Curiosity, leading them to believe that proof of Martian life may have been wiped from existence.
InSight Mission Shows Us What Mars Looks Like Beneath Its Surface, And It’s A Bit Weird
What do you call an earthquake on Mars? A marsquake (and no, we didn't make that up).
What do you call an earthquake on Mars? A marsquake (and no, we didn't make that up).
Mars' inner structure has been unveiled by the international team of NASA's InSight mission, and some of the findings tell a curious tale.
Mars May Still be Volcanically Active, New Research Says
New research has suggested that Mars may still be volcanically active, which could have implications for astrobiology on the Red Planet.
DARPA’s DRACO Program: The Future of Nuclear Propulsion in Space
DARPA has awarded contracts for Phase One of its DRACO program; this week we analyze the heavy-hitting space companies it has chosen to create its future nuclear thermal propulsion systems.
Technosignatures, Telescopes, and Life on Mars
This week we look at the latest with NASA's ongoing studies of Mars, the search for alien life, and technosignatures on nearby planets.
New DRACO Program Will Use Nuclear Propulsion For Future Lunar Missions
DARPA recently awarded $22 million to San Diego-based General Atomics to design a mini nuclear reactor for space propulsion.
Going To Mars Will Shrink Your Heart
Long periods spent in space can cause a shrinking heart causing issues for any possible missions to Mars and the Moon.
Is Terraforming Mars Ethical?
Terraforming Mars would create an atmosphere, water, and sustainable sources of food. But if life does exist on Mars, terraforming would destroy it.
Perseverance Makes Historic Touchdown on Mars
Perseverance has successfully landed on Mars, and begins its mission to help scientists learn more than ever before about our rocky red neighbor.
Touchdown: Perseverance Lands on Mars
This week's Intelligence Brief covers NASA's ambitious plans to land the Perseverance rover on Mars, its most dangerous landing mission yet.
Orson Welles’ “War of the Worlds” Frightened America and ‘Mars Mania’ Was Born
Nothing burned "Mars mania" into our pop culture like Orson Welles and his live radio broadcast of H.G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds."
Finding Alien Fossils Is NASA’s Goal on Mars, says Astrobiologist
NASA Astrobiologist Dr. Svetlana Shkolyar Hopes The Mars Perseverance Rover Captures Evidence of "Dead Stuff in Rocks."
NASA Astrobiologist Dr. Svetlana Shkolyar Hopes The Mars Perseverance Rover Captures Evidence of "Dead Stuff in Rocks."
NASA's Perseverance rover will collect and store soil samples that could contain fossils and evidence of alien life, and NASA is ready.
Humanity’s Enduring Fascination With Mars
Our fascination with Mars has endured for centuries, and recent days have shown that we are closer than ever to unlocking the many mysteries of the Red Planet.
Roboticist Behind Mars Helicopter Ingenuity Says First Flight Is “A Wright Brothers Moment”
The Debrief was given the chance to sit down with NASA’s Jaakko Karras, the roboticist who built the Mars Helicopter Ingenuity.
Did We Find Life on Mars in 1976?
NASA Wasn't Convinced Back Then, But All Subsequent Missions Prove Mars Was Habitable Once
NASA Wasn't Convinced Back Then, But All Subsequent Missions Prove Mars Was Habitable Once
Since 1976, scientists have continuously found hints that Mars is habitable and even harboring forms of life deep under the planet's surface.
Rare Mineral Commonly Found On Mars Turns Up in Antarctic Ice
After boring more than a mile into Antarctic ice, scientists have discovered a mineral rare on Earth that is commonly found on Mars.
The Great Mars Invasion of 2021
An "invasion" of Mars is currently underway... we look at this, the difficulty many past nations have had getting to Mars, and the latest US Navy activities which have led to UFO sightings.
UAE’s Hope Probe Successfully Enters Mars Orbit Making History in the Process
Everything went right on Tuesday, February 9th, as the UAE joined a small list of nations with its Hope Probe by entering Mars' orbit.
NASA Will Build Artemis Base on the Moon’s South Pole
Location, Location, Location...
Location, Location, Location...
NASA's Artemis lunar base camp will house astronauts, rovers, and scientific equipment on the Moon's southern pole.
New Plasma Propulsion System Generates A Helluva Lot of Thrust
A new engine uses plasma propulsion to generate thrust, making crewed missions to distant planets significantly more manageable and cheaper.
NASA Video Shows Upcoming Mars Lander’s “7 Minutes of Terror”
In a new video, NASA shows how the Perseverance rover will have "7 Minutes of Terror" before being placed on Mars by its lander.