A new study claims that a mineral found in Mars' dust called ferrihydrite, which forms in the presence of cool water, is likely what gives the planet its reddish hue.

"We are not the first to consider ferrihydrite as the reason for why Mars is red, but it has never been proven as we have now, using observational data and novel laboratory methods to produce ...

However, new analysis of spacecraft observations in combination with novel laboratory techniques shows that Mars’s red colour is better matched by iron oxides containing water, known as ferrihydrite.

We’re not the first to consider ferrihydrite as the reason for why Mars is red, but it has never been proven the way we proved it now using observational data and novel laboratory methods to ...

“We’re not the first to consider ferrihydrite as the reason for why Mars is red, but it has never been proven the way we proved it now using observational data and novel laboratory methods to ...

We’re not the first to consider ferrihydrite as the reason for why Mars is red, but it has never been proven the way we proved it now using observational data and novel laboratory methods to ...

However, new analysis of spacecraft observations in combination with novel laboratory techniques suggests that Mars’s red colour is better matched by iron oxides containing water, known as ...