With SpaceX, NASA and China planning manned missions to the Martian surface and scientists working to revolutionize access to the Red Planet, it's now only a matter of time before humans step foot on Mars. Follow our species' progress to a new world with Live Science's specialist Mars coverage. Our expert writers and editors publish lists, fact pages, explainers and coverage of the biggest Martian research, from evidence of recent water on the Red Planet to how the "building blocks of life" were discovered on Mars to the first clear images of "sun rays" from Mars' surface, in the latest Mars news, features articles
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—Mars: Facts about the Red Planet, its moons, and possibilities for life
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A giant 'shadow' has been creeping across Mars for 50 years — and scientists aren't sure whyA dark patch in Mars' Utopia Planitia region has grown significantly since it was first photographed in 1976. Scientists have a loose understanding of what it is, but they can't properly explain its gradual growth.
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NASA rover discovers first ruby-like crystals on MarsAstronomers have detected small, ruby-like crystals embedded in Martian rocks, which may also hide sapphires created in the fury of meteorite impacts.
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An anomaly in Mars' mantle could trigger volcanoes to erupt — and may be causing the whole planet to spin fasterData from NASA's InSight mission suggests the Red Planet's Tharsis region is more active than previously thought and may be why Mars is spinning more quickly over time.
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Giant string of organic molecules on Mars may be one of the best signs of life yetA new NASA analysis concludes that it is "reasonable to hypothesize" that living things could have formed the odd organic molecules discovered on Mars.
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Giant 'spiderwebs' on Mars contain tiny egg-like structures that scientists 'can't quite explain,' NASA rover revealsNew photos captured by NASA's Curiosity rover show that Mars' giant, spiderweb-like "boxwork" features are covered in tiny, never-before-seen nodules that bear a striking resemblance to arachnid eggs. And researchers are struggling to explain them.
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Martian meteorite that fell to Earth is full of ancient water, new scans revealA new study has revealed that the iconic Black Beauty meteorite contains much more hidden water than previously suspected. The rock, which fell to Earth from Mars, could reveal clues about the Red Planet's watery past.
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An ocean the size of the Arctic once covered half of Mars, new images hintMars may have been a "blue planet" with an ocean the size of today's Arctic Ocean, a new study suggests.
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NASA's Mars Sample Return is dead, leaving China to retrieve signs of life from the Red PlanetNASA's plans for Mars sample return are effectively cancelled as part of a bill approved by the U.S. Congress, ending efforts to collect Perseverance rover samples that could contain evidence of alien life.
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NASA spacecraft takes milestone 100,000th image of Mars (photo)NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft has just taken its milestone 100,000th photo of the Red Planet using its high-definition camera. It reveals a dark region of moving sand dunes.
