Description

We’ve detected lightning on Mars for the first time.
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NASA’s Perseverance rover has just heard an unexpected sound - evidence of something never seen before on Mars: lightning. In this video, we’ll find out how decoding this tiny crackle could unlock the secrets of the Martian atmosphere, and could be the key to one day surviving on the surface.



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0:00 Exploring Mars
2:37 Why Lightning Matters
6:41 Storms on Mars
9:02 The Search for Lightning on Mars
11:01 Whistler Waves
14:13 Martian Life
16:14 Danger to Rovers
18:01 Risk to Astronauts



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References:
“History of Mars Exploration”, via sci.esa.int https://astrumspace.info/marshistory

“Lightning on Mars”, via nature.com https://astrumspace.info/marslightning

“Thunder and Lightning on Earth”, via metoffice.gov.uk https://astrumspace.info/earthlightning

“Lightning May Have Sparked Life on Earth”, via bbc.co.uk https://astrumspace.info/sparkoflife

“Mars’s Surface Hosts Millions of Dust Devils”, via newscientist.com https://astrumspace.info/marsdustdevils

“The Fact and Fiction of Martian Dust Storms”, via nasa.gov https://astrumspace.info/marsdust

“Detection of Triboelectric Discharges on Mars”, via nature.com https://astrumspace.info/triboelectric

“Lightning-Generated Waves on Mars”, via science.org https://astrumspace.info/marswaves

“The Perchlorate Martian Mystery”, via chemistryworld.com https://astrumspace.info/perchlorate

“Martian Electrostatic Charging of Dust”, via agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com https://astrumspace.info/marscharge



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Credits:
Writer: Laura Mulholland
Video Editor: Alan Parry
Researcher: Shourya Shrivastava
Script Editor: Damaris McColgan
Thumbnail Designer: Peter Sheppard
Publishing Lead: Georgina Brenner
Production Manager: Raquel Taylor
Edit Producer: Poppy Pinnock
Head of Astrum: Jess Jordan
Creator of Astrum: Alex McColgan



With special thanks to:
NASA/ESO/ESA



#Astrum #Space #Mars