Why is Mars red? A new clue to the history of habitability in Martian dust

Why is Mars red? A new clue to the history of habitability in Martian dust

For decades, scientists hypothesized that Mars’ reddish color came from hematite, an iron oxide thought to have formed through dry oxidation after Mars lost its water. But new research suggests the story is more complex—and more watery—than we once imagined.

In this episode, planetary scientist Adomas (Adam) Valantinas from Brown University joins host Sarah Al-Ahmed to discuss his team’s discovery that Mars’ iconic red dust is likely dominated not by hematite but by a hydrated mineral called ferrihydrite. This subtle but significant shift in understanding could reshape what we know about Mars’ climate history and its potential for past habitability.

Then, Sarah and Bruce Betts, Planetary Society chief scientist, revisit one of the most famous Martian discoveries: Opportunity’s hematite-rich “blueberries,” which also told a compelling story about water on the Red Planet.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-why-is-mars-red

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Episoder(1312)

Book Club Edition: MOONS: The Mysteries and Marvels of our Solar System by Kate Howells

Book Club Edition: MOONS: The Mysteries and Marvels of our Solar System by Kate Howells

It was such a delight to feature work by our own Kate Howells in The Planetary Society’s member book club. We keep Kate busy as our public education specialist, but she found time to write about many ...

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Galileo at 30: How a mission transformed our understanding of Jupiter

Galileo at 30: How a mission transformed our understanding of Jupiter

Thirty years ago, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft became the first mission to orbit Jupiter, opening a new chapter in our exploration of the outer Solar System. Over eight years around Jupiter, Galileo tran...

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Inside the 2025 Mars Society Convention

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The 2025 International Mars Society Convention convened at the University of Southern California this October for three days of passionate discussion about humanity’s future on the red planet. Speaker...

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ESCAPADE begins its journey to Mars

ESCAPADE begins its journey to Mars

NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft have finally launched on their journey to Mars. Designed to study how the solar wind interacts with Mars’ patchy magnetic fields and drives the loss of its atmosphere, ...

3 Des 20251h 6min

Smart Girl Dumb Questions: Casey Dreier answers why space is worth it

Smart Girl Dumb Questions: Casey Dreier answers why space is worth it

This week on Planetary Radio, we’re sharing a special conversation from our friends at the Smart Girl Dumb Questions podcast. Host Nayeema Raza sits down with The Planetary Society’s Chief of Space Po...

26 Nov 20251h

Book Club Edition: The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze that Captured Turn-of-the-Century America by David Baron

Book Club Edition: The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze that Captured Turn-of-the-Century America by David Baron

There was a time when almost everyone, from Alexander Graham Bell to the Wall Street Journal, believed there was a supremely intelligent civilization on Mars, one that was probably trying to talk to E...

21 Nov 20251h 3min

Epic Spaceman: Making cosmic scale human

Epic Spaceman: Making cosmic scale human

When his filmmaking career stalled during the pandemic, Toby Lockerbie turned to the one place that had never stopped inspiring him: the Universe. With no background in visual effects, he taught himse...

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