Named after the Roman God of War, the red planet has yielded countless insights about our extraterrestrial backyard. From hosting the tallest mountain in the solar system, Olympus Mons, to massive underground ice deposits, Mars is full of surprises.
And like any diligent explorer, NASA is set on uncovering more of them. Here’s the insider scoop on the latest findings from our nearest cosmic neighbor.
The Curiosity Rover
NASA's Curiosity rover, a seasoned Mars explorer, reached the Gediz Vallis channel in July 2024. This area resembles a large, winding riverbed from space, and is thought to have been potentially shaped by ancient waterways. For the next several months, Curiosity will roam the terrain, attempting to decipher whether debris flows or prehistoric rivers carved the structure.
Operational since 2012, Curiosity has been on a mission to study Mars’ climate and geology and initially assessed whether the Gale Crater ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life. Equipped with a cocktail of scientific instruments and sensors, Curiosity has made radical discoveries, including detecting methane on Mars — a potential indicator of microbial life in the eyes of scientists.
