Mars

Find out everything there is to know about Mars and stay updated on the latest Mars news with the comprehensive articles, interactive features and Mars pictures at LiveScience.com. Learn more about this fascinating planet as scientists continue to make amazing discoveries about Mars.

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The Mars Curiosity rover’s Mast camera snapped this intriguing image of the Red Planet, showing a “doorway” structure, on May 7, 2022, or Sol 3466 in Martian days.

The 'doorway' seen on Mars is not for aliens. Here's how it really formed.

By Tom Metcalfe published

The internet erupted after a photograph from the Mars Curiosity rover appeared to show an "alien door," experts are pretty sure it's just a natural feature.

An artist's impression of the new sinuous discrete aurora over Mars.

Scientists discover bizarre 'worm-like' aurora stretching halfway across Mars

By Brandon Specktor published

Scientists detected an enormous new type of aurora stretching halfway across the Martian atmosphere.

Perseverance's backshell and parachute can be seen in this image snapped by NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter during its 26th flight on April 19, 2022.

Mars helicopter photographs wreckage of its own landing gear in eerily desolate image

By Stephanie Pappas published

The Mars helicopter Ingenuity has snapped eerily desolate photographs of the spent parachute and backshell that conveyed it to the Red Planet.

An image of the Airy-0 crater on Mars taken by the using the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Sept. 8 2021.

Martian crater looks just like a human fingerprint in this incredible new image

By Harry Baker published

NASA recently released an image of Mars' Airy-0 crater, which bears a remarkable resemblance to a human fingerprint and marks the Red Planet's prime meridian (zero degrees longitude).

The ExoMars rover, called Rosalind Franklin, is designed to collect samples beneath the Martian surface.

Mars mission on hold indefinitely after European Space Agency cuts ties with Russia

By Jeanna Bryner published

The European Space Agency (ESA) has unanimously voted to suspend a joint Mars mission with Russia.

A photo of the "mineral flower" alongside other diagenetic features on the surface of Mars captured by NASA's Curiosity rover on Feb. 25.

Curiosity rover snaps close-up of tiny 'mineral flower' on Mars

By Harry Baker published

A new image taken by the Curiosity rover reveals a tiny, flower-like mineral deposit less than half an inch wide on the Martian surface.

This image from CaSSIS aboard the ExoMars TGO reveals an impact crater on Mars that looks like a tree stump.

Giant 'tree stump' impact crater spotted on Mars

By Chelsea Gohd published

A Mars probe has snapped a peculiar image of the Red Planet's surface that looks like a giant tree stump, rings and all.

An image of the pebble-sized debris clogging Perseverance's sampling apparatus, acquired on Jan. 7, 2022, by the WATSON camera.

NASA's Perseverance rover is clogged up with pebbles

By Stephanie Pappas published

The Perseverance Mars rover is awaiting orders after its sampling apparatus became clogged by pebble-size debris.

A "selfie" of Zhurong and its lander captured by a deployed remote camera.

Europe's Mars orbiter relays data from Chinese rover back to Earth

By Andrew Jones published

The European Space Agency's Mars Express collected data from China's Zhurong Mars rover and successfully sent it to Earth following a series of experimental communications tests.

NASA's Perseverance rover, which is searching signs of ancient life on Mars.

'False fossils' littered across Mars may complicate the search for life on Red Planet

By Harry Baker published

Researchers warn that there are dozens of potential false biosignatures on Mars that could hinder the search for alien life.

NASA's Perseverance rover captured this shot of its surroundings on the floor of Jezero Crater on Oct. 22, 2021, using one of its navigation cameras. Mission team members posted the image on Twitter three days later.

Perseverance rover snaps stunning images of Mars after communications blackout

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has emerged from its first "solar conjunction" blackout and gotten back to work on the Red Planet.

NASA's Curiosity rover took this selfie while inside Mars' Gale crater on June 15, 2018, which was the 2,082nd Martian day, or sol, of the rover's mission.

Perseverance's first major successes on Mars — an update from mission scientists

By Melissa Rice, Briony Horgan published

In the short time since NASA's Perseverance rover landed in Mars' Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021, it's already made history.

The Mars perseverance rover looks as wee and lonely as ever in this satellite image from above the Red Planet.

Perseverance Rover spotted from space in striking new satellite image

By Brandon Specktor published

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spied the little Perseverance Rover chugging around Jezero Crater in a striking new image.

Artist's illustration of the two EscaPADE spacecraft in orbit around Mars.

Mars on the cheap: Scientists working to revolutionize access to the Red Planet

By Leonard David published

An increasing number of researchers are blueprinting low-cost and novel ways to further explore the Red Planet.

Artist's illustration of a Mars with Earth-like surface water. The Red Planet was a wet world in the ancient past.

Mars was doomed to desiccation

By Mike Wall published

Mars was doomed to desiccation by its small size, a new study suggests.

A Martian rock core sample, about the width of a pencil, sits inside the Perseverance rover's collection tube.

'Perfect' Mars rock sample drilled from the Red Planet in historic mission

By Brandon Specktor published

Following a botched first attempt, NASA's Mars Perseverance rover successfully collected a pencil-thin Martian rock core sample.

The world's largest Martian meteorite, Taoudenni 002.

World's largest Martian meteorite goes on display

By Harry Baker published

The largest piece of Martian rock on Earth, weighing around 32 pounds, has gone on display for the first time, at a museum in Maine.

Millions of "blueberries" like these dot the surface of Mars. They could hold an important trace of ancient water, a new study suggests.

Martian 'blueberries' may hold signs of ancient water, new study suggests

By Brandon Specktor published

Martian 'blueberry' stones may hold evidence of the planet's watery past, a new study of similar minerals on Earth suggests.

The first borehole drilled by NASA's Perseverance rover.

Why Perseverance rover fumbled 1st sampling attempt on Mars

By Chelsea Gohd published

NASA's Perseverance rover's first sample collection didn't go as planned due to trouble with a "unique" and unexpectedly powdery Mars rock.

Curiosity rover snapped this image of a cute textured rock within Gale Crater on sol 3190 (or for Earthlings, July 27, 2021).

Curiosity rover finds cute little rock 'lizard' on Mars

By Stephanie Pappas published

A small rock arch in Gale Crater is a whimsical example of the textures of Mars.