Life on Mars
Latest about Life on Mars

Scientists created AI that could detect alien life — and they're not entirely sure how it works
By Ben Turner published
The new machine-learning algorithm can distinguish between biological and nonbiological samples with 90% accuracy. Exactly how is a mystery.

'Building blocks of life' discovered on Mars in 10 different rock samples
By Charles Q. Choi published
NASA's Perseverance rover has found an intriguing menagerie of organic molecules in a Martian crater, but their source remains unclear.

Mars meteorite that crashed to Earth contains 'huge diversity' of organic compounds
By Harry Baker published
A new study into the Tissint meteorite, which crash-landed in Morocco in 2011, revealed a wide array of organic compounds hidden in the rare space rock.

Bacteria could survive underground on Mars for hundreds of millions of years, new study finds
By Stephanie Pappas published
New research suggests that signs of ancient Martian life could be out there – or rather, hidden just beneath the Martian surface, safe from harmful radiation.

First Martian life likely broke the planet with climate change, made themselves extinct
By Ben Turner published
The finding comes from a modeling study that assumes ancient Martian life was similar to that on Earth during the same time period.

Mars was doomed to desiccation
By Mike Wall published
Mars was doomed to desiccation by its small size, a new study suggests.

Buried 'lakes' on Mars may just be frozen clay
By Charles Q. Choi published
Bright reflections that radar detected beneath the south pole of Mars may not be underground lakes as previously thought but deposits of clay instead, a new study finds.

Curiosity rover discovers that evidence of past life on Mars may have been erased
By Ben Turner published
The findings from the Curiosity rover could help the Perseverance rover decide which samples to collect for later analysis.
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