This image of Coprates Chasma shows the deepest part of the giant Valles Marineris canyon system, more than 7 kilometers below the nearest rim and 11 kilometers beneath the surrounding […]
Mars
Posted inAnalog Studies, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Gravitational Biology, Habitable Zones, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
Born On Mars: Multigenerational Phenotypic Change In Caenorhabditis Elegans Under Martian Analog Gravity And Hypomagnetic Fields
Life on Mars will require organisms to endure sustained exposure to reduced gravity and near-absent planetary magnetism, yet little is known about how these environmental factors may combine to potentially […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extinction events, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Sample Return
Life On Lava: How Microbes Colonize New Habitats
Life has a way of bouncing back, even after catastrophic events like forest fires or volcanic eruptions. While nature’s resilience to natural disasters has long been recognized, not much is […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs
Perseverance Can Continue To Operate On Mars Until At Least 2031
The rover has been acing a long-term series of durability tests, making the most of its enhanced navigation capabilities, and ferreting out new findings about Mars’ geologic past.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Fungal–Mineral Interaction: Astrobiology Insights from Iron-Rich Mineral Alteration by an Extremophile Black Fungus
Iron-rich minerals, such as hematite (α-Fe2O3), are prominent constituents of the Martian surface; they are considered to be potential indicators of past aqueous activity and habitability.
Posted inExploration Gear & Tech, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Status Report
NASA SMD: Advance Notice of Intent to Solicit: Science Transport & Robotic Innovation for Deployment and Exploration (STRIDE)
NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) through the Mars Exploration Program (MEP) within the Planetary Science Division (PSD) intends to add a new program element under the Planetary Science Division (PSD) […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astronauts and Explorers, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Sample Return
Caves On Earth As Proxies For Martian Subsurface Environments
On planet Earth, the inner part of cave systems represents an extreme and isolated environment, characterized by relatively stable microclimatic conditions, nutrient limitation and protection from external stressors such as […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Mars, Press Release
Mars’ Salty Secrets: How Ancient Brines Imprinted Their Chemical Fingerprints In Martian Minerals
Jarosite, a sulfate mineral widely detected across the Martian surface, has long been regarded as a key indicator of past aqueous activity.
Posted inImaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
Perseverance Looks Down At Itself
This is a montage of three images taken by Mars Perseverance on Sol 1697 Nov. 28, 2025 by the WATSON Camera.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Radiation, Status Report
Modeling Photoprotection of Ultraviolet C Radiation by Ferric Ions and Implications for the Habitability of Ancient Martian Lakes
On Mars, the amount of ultraviolet C (UVC) radiation that reaches the surface is sufficiently deleterious for life as we know it.