SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY
Martian Lightning
from Science News
Scientists say they have seen the first
direct evidence of lightning on Mars, in the
form of electrical discharges during a Martian
dust storm.
The finding has implications for human
travel to the Red Planet and for studying
possible origins of life on Mars, the authors
say in a paper to appear in Geophysical
Research Letters.
It has been thought that lightning might be
possible on Mars. Bits of dust rubbing against
each other in one of the planet's famous dust
devils could charge up the particles the same
way that running on a carpet charges up socks.
All that charge could then be discharged in a
zap, either as lightning or a shock.
Read more...
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