Study Reveals Mars' Red Color Linked to Ancient Water-Rich Mineral

New research suggests Mars' iconic hue is due to ferrihydrite, a mineral formed in water, pointing to a potentially habitable past.

Researchers from Brown University and the University of Bern propose that Mars' red color comes from ferrihydrite, a water-dependent mineral, rather than hematite as previously believed.
The study, published in Nature Communications, involved analyzing data from Mars missions and recreating Martian dust in laboratory conditions.
Ferrihydrite forms in cool, water-rich environments, suggesting that Mars once had a climate capable of sustaining liquid water billions of years ago.
The findings challenge previous assumptions about Mars' dry history and open new possibilities for understanding the planet's ancient habitability.
Future analysis of samples being collected by NASA's Perseverance rover will help confirm the study's conclusions, though these samples are not expected to return to Earth until 2040.