Mars And Earth
- All
- News
- Videos
- Web Stories
-
Mars Satellite Images Reveal Giant 'Kidney Beans,' Sparking Hints of Water and Life
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of frozen sand dunes in Mars' northern hemisphere, revealing unique formations halted by carbon dioxide frost during winter. Unlike Earth's desert dunes, which shift with wind, these Martian dunes remain stationary until spring thaw releases their icy grip. Scientists study these features to unders...
-
NASA Plans Cheaper, Faster Ways To Bring Back Mars Samples By 2030s
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has planned two new strategies to bring crucial samples from Mars to Earth, aiming for a return by the 2030s.
-
Mars' Hidden Methane Deposits Could Be Underneath the Crust, Host Alien Life
Scientists have identified regions on Mars where conditions might support microbial life beneath the surface. Seasonal methane variations and Earth-based studies of similar environments suggest underground habitats such as Acidalia Planitia could hold the key. Methanogens, microbes that produce methane, thrive in extreme conditions on Earth, like s...
-
New Study Reveals Incredible Microbial Life Deep Under Earth’s Surface
A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances has revealed the extensive microbial life thriving beneath Earth's surface. The research led by Emil Ruff uncovers diverse ecosystems at depths of up to 4,375 metres, challenging previous assumptions about energy limitations in deep environments. It also suggests that Earth's subsurface microbes ...
-
James Webb Telescope Spots 138 New Asteroids in the Main Belt, Some Heading Towards Earth
Astronomers have discovered 138 new asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). These decametre-sized asteroids, some of which are on paths that could bring them close to Earth, were identified through a new computational technique. The discovery enhances our understanding of small space...
-
China's Tianwen-3 Mars Sample Return Mission Targets 2031 Ahead of NASA, ESA
China's Tianwen-3 mission aims to return Martian rock samples to Earth by 2031, setting a benchmark in space exploration. Scheduled for launch in 2028, the mission will employ cutting-edge technologies, including a lander, ascent vehicle, rover, and helicopter, to gather samples from regions like Utopia Planitia and Chryse Planitia. These areas wer...
-
Super-Earth In the Solar System Could Have Rendered Our Planet Uninhabitable, Says Study
A recent study explores a hypothetical super-Earth between Mars and Jupiter, revealing its severe impact on Earth's orbit and climate. Conducted by Florida Institute of Technology scientists Emily Simpson and Howard Chen, the simulation demonstrates how such a planet’s gravity could destabilise neighbouring planets, causing erratic orbits and ext...
-
NASA Europa Clipper Advances Toward Jupiter’s Moon, Instruments Successfully Deployed
NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, launched in October 2024, is journeying toward Jupiter’s moon Europa to study its icy surface and hidden ocean. Currently over 13 million miles from Earth, the spacecraft has successfully deployed its solar arrays, magnetometer boom, and radar antennas. It will use a gravity assist from Mars in March 2025 to ad...
-
Scientists Discover New Electric Field in Earth’s Atmosphere Crucial for Life
Scientists have finally detected the long-predicted ambipolar electric field in Earth's atmosphere. Though weak, it plays a crucial role in shaping the planet’s upper atmosphere, impacting the polar wind and potentially contributing to Earth’s habitability. This discovery could help explain why Earth’s atmosphere has remained conducive to lif...
-
Chinese Rover Discovers Evidence Of 3.42 Billion Years Old Ocean On Mars
Like Earth and our solar system's other planets, Mars formed about 4.5 billion years ago. At the time the ocean apparently existed, it might already have begun its transition away from being a hospitable planet.
-
November Night Sky 2024: Check Out the Brightest Planets and How to Watch Them?
November's night sky features a spectacular lineup of planets, including Venus, which becomes increasingly prominent in the west. Mars glows brightly as it approaches Earth, while Jupiter rises in the east, captivating observers with its brilliance. Saturn, with its magnificent rings, is also visible high in the southern sky. This month presents id...
-
NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover Uncovers Distinct Red Rocks with Green Spots at 'Serpentine Rapids'
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover has unveiled intriguing findings at Serpentine Rapids, a location characterised by its striking red rocks interspersed with distinctive green spots. These features, observed in a nighttime mosaic captured by the rover's SHERLOC WATSON camera, may provide insights into Mars' geological history. The green spots are thou...
-
Perseverance Rover Sees Phobos Block the Sun During Martian Solar Eclipse
NASA's Perseverance rover recently captured a stunning solar eclipse on Mars, showcasing the moon Phobos as it partially blocked the sun. This remarkable event, photographed on September 30, 2024, was made possible by the rover's Left Mastcam-Z camera, which highlighted Phobos's irregular shape. Measuring about 17 miles long and orbiting Mars at a ...
-
NASA's Study Suggests Life Could Thrive Beneath Ice in Mars
NASA's latest study proposes that meltwater beneath Mars' icy surface could sustain microbial life. Researchers utilised advanced computer modelling to demonstrate that sunlight can penetrate water ice enough to allow photosynthesis in shallow meltwater pools. These pools, which may form in the Martian tropics, could provide a protective environmen...
-
Earth's Crust is ‘Dripping’ Beneath Turkey’s Konya Basin, Revealing Unique Geological Phenomenon
Researchers have uncovered a remarkable geological phenomenon beneath Türkiye’s Central Anatolian Plateau, where dense materials from Earth’s crust are detaching and sinking into the mantle below. This process, known as multi-stage lithospheric dripping, has been shaping the Konya Basin’s surface and provides crucial insights into Earth’s ...
-
Mars Satellite Images Reveal Giant 'Kidney Beans,' Sparking Hints of Water and Life
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of frozen sand dunes in Mars' northern hemisphere, revealing unique formations halted by carbon dioxide frost during winter. Unlike Earth's desert dunes, which shift with wind, these Martian dunes remain stationary until spring thaw releases their icy grip. Scientists study these features to unders...
-
NASA Plans Cheaper, Faster Ways To Bring Back Mars Samples By 2030s
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has planned two new strategies to bring crucial samples from Mars to Earth, aiming for a return by the 2030s.
-
Mars' Hidden Methane Deposits Could Be Underneath the Crust, Host Alien Life
Scientists have identified regions on Mars where conditions might support microbial life beneath the surface. Seasonal methane variations and Earth-based studies of similar environments suggest underground habitats such as Acidalia Planitia could hold the key. Methanogens, microbes that produce methane, thrive in extreme conditions on Earth, like s...
-
New Study Reveals Incredible Microbial Life Deep Under Earth’s Surface
A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances has revealed the extensive microbial life thriving beneath Earth's surface. The research led by Emil Ruff uncovers diverse ecosystems at depths of up to 4,375 metres, challenging previous assumptions about energy limitations in deep environments. It also suggests that Earth's subsurface microbes ...
-
James Webb Telescope Spots 138 New Asteroids in the Main Belt, Some Heading Towards Earth
Astronomers have discovered 138 new asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). These decametre-sized asteroids, some of which are on paths that could bring them close to Earth, were identified through a new computational technique. The discovery enhances our understanding of small space...
-
China's Tianwen-3 Mars Sample Return Mission Targets 2031 Ahead of NASA, ESA
China's Tianwen-3 mission aims to return Martian rock samples to Earth by 2031, setting a benchmark in space exploration. Scheduled for launch in 2028, the mission will employ cutting-edge technologies, including a lander, ascent vehicle, rover, and helicopter, to gather samples from regions like Utopia Planitia and Chryse Planitia. These areas wer...
-
Super-Earth In the Solar System Could Have Rendered Our Planet Uninhabitable, Says Study
A recent study explores a hypothetical super-Earth between Mars and Jupiter, revealing its severe impact on Earth's orbit and climate. Conducted by Florida Institute of Technology scientists Emily Simpson and Howard Chen, the simulation demonstrates how such a planet’s gravity could destabilise neighbouring planets, causing erratic orbits and ext...
-
NASA Europa Clipper Advances Toward Jupiter’s Moon, Instruments Successfully Deployed
NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, launched in October 2024, is journeying toward Jupiter’s moon Europa to study its icy surface and hidden ocean. Currently over 13 million miles from Earth, the spacecraft has successfully deployed its solar arrays, magnetometer boom, and radar antennas. It will use a gravity assist from Mars in March 2025 to ad...
-
Scientists Discover New Electric Field in Earth’s Atmosphere Crucial for Life
Scientists have finally detected the long-predicted ambipolar electric field in Earth's atmosphere. Though weak, it plays a crucial role in shaping the planet’s upper atmosphere, impacting the polar wind and potentially contributing to Earth’s habitability. This discovery could help explain why Earth’s atmosphere has remained conducive to lif...
-
Chinese Rover Discovers Evidence Of 3.42 Billion Years Old Ocean On Mars
Like Earth and our solar system's other planets, Mars formed about 4.5 billion years ago. At the time the ocean apparently existed, it might already have begun its transition away from being a hospitable planet.
-
November Night Sky 2024: Check Out the Brightest Planets and How to Watch Them?
November's night sky features a spectacular lineup of planets, including Venus, which becomes increasingly prominent in the west. Mars glows brightly as it approaches Earth, while Jupiter rises in the east, captivating observers with its brilliance. Saturn, with its magnificent rings, is also visible high in the southern sky. This month presents id...
-
NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover Uncovers Distinct Red Rocks with Green Spots at 'Serpentine Rapids'
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover has unveiled intriguing findings at Serpentine Rapids, a location characterised by its striking red rocks interspersed with distinctive green spots. These features, observed in a nighttime mosaic captured by the rover's SHERLOC WATSON camera, may provide insights into Mars' geological history. The green spots are thou...
-
Perseverance Rover Sees Phobos Block the Sun During Martian Solar Eclipse
NASA's Perseverance rover recently captured a stunning solar eclipse on Mars, showcasing the moon Phobos as it partially blocked the sun. This remarkable event, photographed on September 30, 2024, was made possible by the rover's Left Mastcam-Z camera, which highlighted Phobos's irregular shape. Measuring about 17 miles long and orbiting Mars at a ...
-
NASA's Study Suggests Life Could Thrive Beneath Ice in Mars
NASA's latest study proposes that meltwater beneath Mars' icy surface could sustain microbial life. Researchers utilised advanced computer modelling to demonstrate that sunlight can penetrate water ice enough to allow photosynthesis in shallow meltwater pools. These pools, which may form in the Martian tropics, could provide a protective environmen...
-
Earth's Crust is ‘Dripping’ Beneath Turkey’s Konya Basin, Revealing Unique Geological Phenomenon
Researchers have uncovered a remarkable geological phenomenon beneath Türkiye’s Central Anatolian Plateau, where dense materials from Earth’s crust are detaching and sinking into the mantle below. This process, known as multi-stage lithospheric dripping, has been shaping the Konya Basin’s surface and provides crucial insights into Earth’s ...
