A study suggests Mars takes its red hue from a type of mineral that forms in cool water, which could reveal insights about whether Mars was ever able to support life.

Martian dust is mostly rust. Mars’s famed color has captivated humankind for centuries, earning its nickname of the ‘Red Planet’. Romans named Mars for their god of war because its colour was reminiscent of blood, while Egyptians called it ‘Her Desher’, meaning ‘the red one.’ CREDIT: A.Valantinas.

Thanks to new research techniques published today, scientists say that "our understanding of why Mars is red has been transformed."

A new study led by Brown University researchers shows how a water-rich mineral could explain the planet’s color, hinting at a wetter, more habitable past on the Red Planet.

Mars is easily identifiable in the night sky by its prominent red hue. Thanks to the fleet of spacecraft that have studied the planet over the last decades, we know that this red color is due to rusted iron minerals in the dust.

Mars has long been known as the Red Planet, with its fiery hue making it easily recognisable in the night sky. But what if scientists have been wrong about the reason why Mars is red? In a shocking twist, new data from a NASA spacecraft has 'transformed' scientists' understanding of the planet, its dusty surface, and its potential for life.

Mars is widely known for its iconic rusty red color — many people even refer to it as just the "Red Planet" — but new research suggests the Martian shade isn't just lovely to look at. The chemistry behind Mars' rosy hue may actually hold important information about our cosmic neighbor.

Mars has been known as the Red Planet for thousands of years; even the ancient Egyptians called it ‘The Red One’ (Her Desher). Now scientists think they have worked out exactly what gives our closest planetary neighbour its rusty hue,