Planet-encircling dust storms fundamentally reshape Martian weather and the near-surface electrostatic environment.
Mars
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
In Situ Carbonation of Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of Ultramafic Composition in Jezero Crater, Mars
Over 3.5 years of exploration in Jezero Crater, the Perseverance rover has explored several geological units of diverse origins and natures, performing multi-technique remote analyses of the chemistry and mineralogy […]
Posted inAstronauts and Explorers, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Life Support Systems, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Space Life Science, Status Report
Weaving Life Into Regolith: Engineered Autotrophic-Heterotrophic Consortia For Autonomous Biofabrication From Granular Feedstocks
Long-duration human missions to Mars will require autonomous systems capable of converting in situ resources into structural materials, tools, and functional components. More broadly, such systems represent a class of […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
Perseverance Rover Snaps Selfie in Mars’ Western Frontier
The agency’s six-wheeled geologist took a self-portrait during its survey of an ancient landscape that may predate the formation of Jezero Crater itself.
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Conferences and Meetings, Education and Outreach, Mars, Status Report
Mars And The Earthlings Training School
A training school, organized by the European Astrobiology Institute and us, the Cluster of Excellence “The Martian Mindset“ | University of Bremen, is dedicated to the scientific, ethical, medical, economic, […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report
Subsiding Terrain On Mars
This observation features a plateau adjacent to subsiding terrain in Xanthe Terra, possibly traversed by a fault.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return, Status Report
Active Responses Of Cyanobacterial Crusts Directly Exposed To The Extreme Stratospheric Environment
The stratosphere’s highly hostile environment offers a unique and relatively accessible setting to evaluate extremophilic adaptation for extraterrestrial colonization. The accelerating pace of the Martian project has underscored the need […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mars, Status Report
Defined Mars Media (DMM), A Chemically Defined Simulant Of The Soluble Macro- and Micro- Nutrients In Mars Regolith For Use In Biological Research
Mars’ relatively moderate surface conditions, availability of solar energy, and in situ resources like water ice, carbon dioxide, and mineral-rich regolith make it a compelling target for supporting life beyond […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mars, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1, Venus
Modeling Volcanic Plume Heights Across Exoplanet Atmospheres: Insights from TRAPPIST-1
Explosive volcanic eruptions play a fundamental role in the evolution and observability of rocky exoplanets, serving as a key mechanism for injecting volatiles into planetary atmospheres and potentially modifying their […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release
Earth And Mars Interior Structures Set By Re-melting Of The First Solid Mantle
Magma ocean crystallisation sets up the early structure and long-term evolution of terrestrial planets. Recent seismic evidence signals the presence of a silicate layer at the base of Mars’ mantle.