Mars is the "Red Planet" because of its red soil, and it was long believed that it was caused by the same chemical process that creates rust on Earth, emerging from dry conditions on Mars.
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Mars is the "Red Planet" because of its red soil, and it was long believed that it was caused by the same chemical process that creates rust on Earth, emerging from dry conditions on Mars. Now, researchers have mimicked the conditions of Mars in the lab and have a new explanation: it's actually a chemical called ferrihydrite, an iron oxide that contains water. This would mean that its characteristic red color is due to a time when the planet was covered in water.
Why Mars could be red
An international research team led by the University of Bern and Brown University in the US state of Rhode Island may have solved the mystery of the reddish color of Mars. The team identified the water-rich iron mineral ferrihydrite as the main culprit of the characteristic reddish Martian dust. This discovery could not only explain the planet's color, but also point to a wetter, potentially habitable Martian past.
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