Despite the Red Planet's appearance, scientists have wondered for decades about the possibility of microbial life inhabiting Mars in the distant past. Now a new study, based on da

According to NASA, the discovery by Curiosity was made using its Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) and Tunable Laser Spectrometer (TLS), with SAM heating samples up to nearly 1,652 degrees Fahrenheit.

NASA's Curiosity rover, currently exploring Gale crater on Mars, is providing new details about how the ancient Martian climate went from potentially suitable for life—with evidence for widespread liquid water on the surface—to a surface that is inhospitable to terrestrial life as we know it.

The Mars of today is a giant radioactive desert, but there are hints that it was more hospitable in the past. Some have envisioned an ancient Mars with vast surface water, but new data from the Curiosity rover suggests the watery periods on Mars were short-lived.

Curiosity’s exploration of Gale crater on Mars has uncovered new evidence about the planet’s climate evolution. By studying isotopic values in carbon-rich minerals, scientists have discovered that ancient Mars likely underwent extreme evaporation,

NASA's Curiosity rover has encountered patches of sharp “gator-back” rocks causing mission planners to look for a new route to continue exploring Mount Sharp. Credit: Space.com | footage courtesy: NAS