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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
Latest about Mars
A rare active volcano on Mars may be causing the whole planet to spin faster
Data 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.
Giant string of organic molecules on Mars may be one of the best signs of life yet
A new NASA analysis concludes that it is "reasonable to hypothesize" that living things could have formed the odd organic molecules discovered on Mars.
Giant 'spiderwebs' on Mars contain tiny egg-like structures that scientists 'can't quite explain,' NASA rover reveals
New 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.
Martian meteorite that fell to Earth is full of ancient water, new scans reveal
A 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.
An ocean the size of the Arctic once covered half of Mars, new images hint
Mars may have been a "blue planet" with an ocean the size of today's Arctic Ocean, a new study suggests.
NASA's Mars Sample Return is dead, leaving China to retrieve signs of life from the Red Planet
NASA'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.
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.
City-size 'cosmic butterfly' carved into Mars' surface contains traces of ancient water
The European Space Agency has released new images of a rare "butterfly" crater on the Red Planet. The bug-like structure sports a pair of smooth, rocky wings, which were likely "fluidized" by buried Martian ice.
