Another World
In the realm of science, Mars is one of those bodies that have inspired the fantasy of mankind for many generations. With its dusty desert sand and its frozen poles, the Red Planet has a landscape and an environment that are both familiar and foreign at once. With that in mind, here are 5 facts about this red giant.
1. Weaker Gravity
Mars's gravity is about one-third as strong as Earth's. This would make every jump on Mars much higher than on Earth. You could leap nearly three times as high on Mars than at home. Your steps would feel bouncier, like taking giant hops as if you were on a trampoline.
2. Water on Mars
Water on Mars is almost exclusively in the form of ice. Water can theoretically flow and remain liquid for a very short time, but due to the low atmospheric pressure of less than 1% of Earth's, water either immediately evaporates or turns to ice, depending on the temperature. Mars has polar ice caps which contain large amounts of frozen water and carbon dioxide.
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3. The Geological History
Geologists break up Mars' geological history into three eras: the Noachian, Hesperian, and Amazonian Periods. These periods describe the red planet's transition from a wet and volcanically active world to the cold, dry desert it is now. Changes in terrain, craters, and minerals make for an interesting history stretching over billions of years.
4. Life on Mars
In 2018, NASA's Curiosity Rover discovered organic molecules trapped in Martian rocks. The organic molecules are possible precursors of life. This discovery reignited the question of whether Mars could have once harbored life billions of years ago, when the planet could have had lakes and a thicker atmosphere. Now, rovers and orbiters from several countries explore its surface, looking for more evidence of its enigmatic past.
5. Two Moons
Mars is circled by two small moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are thought to be captured asteroids. They're small, irregularly shaped, and dust-covered. Both are much smaller than Earth's moon. Phobos, the larger of the two, is about 14 miles wide.
