Since the 1960s, numerous spacecraft have whizzed past Mars or entered its orbit. Additionally, rovers and landers have touched down on its surface. As Hays watched a large flying saucer land in Utah last year, she thought of her ambitious Mars Sample Return mission – MSR for short – which involves collecting samples from Mars […]
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Once upon a time, Mars was an expansive, lush planet filled with canyons and lakes. But over time it cooled, its magnetic field dissipated, and streams of ionizing radiation began stripping its atmosphere away. Today it’s an inhospitable desert. MGS has observed many different kinds of PADs across many regions, which has enabled researchers to
The Red Planet’s Magnetic Field Read More »
Godzilla or John Williams’ Imperial March from Star Wars; reptilian monstrosities with military themes have long found expression through music – Mars is no exception! Beginning in 1914, Holst’s Suite has long been seen as an early warning about World War I – although he himself never made this claim. Mars: The Bringer of War
By monitoring seismic waves that were transmitted through Mars’ interior, scientists discovered a layer of molten rock surrounding its liquid metal core – thus challenging current theories about its structure and evolution. This new discovery could help scientists gain a greater understanding of how Mars formed, evolved and lost its capacity for life over time.
Mars Planet Layers Revealed Read More »
From the 1960s onward, humanity has launched multiple spacecraft towards Mars since then. While some were used merely for flyby missions and taking photographs as they passed overhead; others entered orbit or even landed successfully. Landing on Mars isn’t simple. To accomplish it, a lander uses a heatshield and parachute to slow its descent from
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Mars is one of the most researched planets in our solar system. It also hosts Olympus Mons – three times taller than Mount Everest! Red Planet derives its vibrant hue from iron minerals in its soil, which rust away during dust storms on Earth. Romans gave this planet its name after Ares, their god of
2 Facts About Mars You Must Know Read More »
Billions of years ago, Mars was much closer to Earth–with lakes, rivers, and possibly oceans–than it is today; scientists are finding evidence that suggests it might still host some form of life. Hindu astrology regards Mangal (Mars) as the son of Earth and Kartikeya, representing masculine energy within people as well as providing skills such
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Four billion years ago, Mars may have had an atmosphere rich with oxygen that provided conditions conducive to life despite losing much of its atmosphere to space. Making Mars habitable doesn’t need to be an herculean undertaking – researchers say patches can be transformed quickly and affordably by layering thin silica aerogel sheets on its
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Scientists are still exploring whether Mars was ever home to life in its past and exploring methods to extract water from its soil. To gain a better understanding of this intriguing planet, we turned to some LSU experts for insight on its many mysteries and quarries. They provided answers to some commonly-asked questions regarding Mars.
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