Lightning Detected on Mars, Rover Recordings reveal
PASADENA, CA – NASA’s Perseverance rover has detected electrical discharges in the Martian atmosphere, a discovery scientists believe could have significant implications for the planet’s past and future. A team from france analyzed 28 hours of microphone recordings collected over two Martian years – equivalent to 1,374 Earth days – and identified the phenomena.
The discharges are linked to dust devils and dust storm fronts, with the internal movements within these whirlwinds generating electrical activity. “These discharges represent a major discovery, with direct implications for Martian atmospheric chemistry, climate, habitability and the future of robotic and human exploration,” said Dr. Baptiste Chide, lead author of the research, in a statement to reuters.
The findings establish Mars as the fourth planet known to exhibit atmospheric electrical activity, joining Earth, Saturn, and Jupiter. though, as the discharges were only heard and not visually confirmed, some skepticism remains. Particle physicist Dr. Daniel Pritchard noted in the journal Nature that the recordings offer “persuasive evidence of dust-induced discharges,” but acknowledged,”some doubt will inevitably remain as to whether this really was Martian lightning.” He predicted the debate would “likely continue for some time.”
The discovery comes as Perseverance continues its exploration of the Jezero Crater, a region selected for its potential to have once harbored life. The rover’s mission builds on recent findings from September, when scientists identified unusual rock markings – dubbed “leopard spots” and “poppy seeds” – containing minerals potentially linked to ancient microbial life. While these minerals could also be the result of natural geological processes, NASA has stated the markings represent the clearest signs of life yet discovered on Mars.
Billions of years ago, evidence suggests Mars possessed a thicker atmosphere and liquid water, making it a prime target in the search for extraterrestrial life. Perseverance’s inquiry of the former delta within jezero Crater aims to uncover further clues about the planet’s potentially habitable past.
