Dust devils on Mars could be brewing electric currents, and scientists may have just heard them strike the arid landscape in a first-of-its-kind discovery.

Planetary scientists detected new evidence of lightning on Mars in sounds and electrical signals captured by the Perseverance rover, suggesting the Red Planet’s dusty surface causes electrification. Astronomers have long theorized that lightning exists on Mars but have thus far failed to find direct evidence of it. The new study , published Wednesday in the journal Nature, further deepens our understanding of Mars’ atmosphere and may have implications for future human-led missions to the neighboring planet.

Lightning doesn’t strike twice

NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars in February 2021 , and it’s equipped with a micr

See Full Page