Is Frying Possible in Space?
French fries are a very popular food commodity across many cultural backgrounds on Earth and as such they may be appreciated by long-term space travelers. The process of frying in…
Watch First-Ever Livestream from Mars
On June 2, 2023, to celebrate the 20th birthday of ESA’s Mars Express, you’ll have the chance to get as close as it’s currently possible get to a live view…
ESA’s Mars Express Orbiter Sees Fissured Flanks of Mars’ Second-Tallest Volcano
Ascraeus Mons is the northernmost and tallest of three prominent volcanoes found in the Tharsis region of Mars, a volcanic plateau in the planet’s western hemisphere. This image from ESA’s…
Genetically Modified Rice Could Actually Grow in Martian Regolith, New Study Suggests
One of the biggest challenges to growing food on Mars is the presence of perchlorate salts, which have been detected in the Martian regolith (soil) and are generally considered to…
InSight Detects Seismic Waves Traveling through Martian Liquid Core
Mars has a liquid iron alloy core at its center. Using seismic data gathered by NASA’s InSight lander, planetary scientists have made the first observations of seismic waves traveling through…
Relict Glacier Spotted near Martian Equator
A so-called light-toned deposit (LTD) in Eastern Noctis Labyrinthus, about 160 km (99.4 miles) north-west of Oudemans crater near Mars’ equator, presents distinctive morphologic characteristics of a glacier, according to…
StarCrete: Materials Scientists Create Starch-Based Concrete for Extraterrestrial Construction
The StarCrete is twice as strong as regular concrete and is made from extraterrestrial dust, potato starch, and a pinch of salt. Aled Roberts and Nigel Scrutton used simulated Martian…
Curiosity Rover Images Sun Rays and Feather-Shaped Clouds on Mars
‘Sun rays’ are also known as crepuscular rays, from the Latin word for twilight. It was the first time sun rays have been so clearly viewed on Mars. This feather-shaped…
Electricity in Martian Dust Storms Could Be Major Driving Force of Planet’s Chlorine Cycle
Frictional electrification is a common process in the Solar System, with Martian dust activities known to be a powerful source of electrical charge buildup. Furthermore, the thin atmosphere on the…
Scientists Find Various Organic Compounds in Martian Meteorite
An international team of researchers has detected abundant polyaromatic compounds, organic magnesium compounds, aliphatic branched carboxylic acids, aldehydes, and olefins in the Tissint meteorite, which landed near the city of…