Mars

Scientists at Northern Arizona University mapped frozen water hidden just below the surface of Mars, with the goal of finding the best spots for future astronauts to visit. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports.

A new study coauthored by a Flagstaff scientist suggests it’s not possible to terraform Mars with current technology to make it hospitable for people. It all comes down to the carbon dioxide. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports.

Mars Rover Curiosity has dug up organic material in rocks just below the surface of what’s believed to be an ancient Martian lake bed.

Some scientists who study Mars also study Northern Arizona. That’s because our lava fields and water-carved canyons are similar to Martian terrain. It’s a good place to test out whether future colonists on Mars would be able to build houses out of local materials. That’s what astronomer Antonio Paris of St. Petersburg College in Florida is doing. He’s traveling the Colorado Plateau collecting soil samples to see if they’ll make good cement. He told KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny, if works here, it might also work on Mars.

A Flagstaff geologist found eight massive ice sheets on the planet Mars, using images from a NASA spacecraft. It’s the first detailed look at the layered structure of Mars’ ice. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports.