Ancient Mars may have had a carbon cycle − a new study suggests the red planet may have once been warmer, wetter and more favorable for life 
Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment 
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Reaches New Heights but Ends in Setback 
Astronomers have discovered another puzzling interstellar object − this third one is big, bright and fast 
FDA Pilot Program Eases Rules for Nicotine Pouch Makers 
Neuren Pharmaceuticals Surges on U.S. Patent Win for Rare Disorder Drug 
Is space worth the cost? Accounting experts say its value can’t be found in spreadsheets 
CDC Vaccine Review Sparks Controversy Over Thimerosal Study Citation 
Tabletop particle accelerator could transform medicine and materials science 
Lost in space: MethaneSat failed just as NZ was to take over mission control – here’s what we need to know now 
NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead 
Lab-grown meat: you may find it icky, but it could drive forward medical research 
Trump Signs Executive Order to Boost AI Research in Childhood Cancer 
Trump Administration to Launch Autism Initiatives Targeting Acetaminophen Use and New Treatment Options 
Space exploration has given scientists and space agencies all over the world an opportunity to learn more about the neighboring planets and what lies beyond Earth, including the possibility of alien life. New research suggests that Mars may have had liquid water based on the mud found on the red planet.
Express reports that a study published in the Nature Geoscience journal found that the volcanic lava formations found on Mars may not have come from the red planet’s volcano formations. Instead, the study suggested that the mud that flows from the Martian landscape behave as pahoehoe lava flows, liquid mud spilling over from the frozen crust, and freezing, resulting in the formation of a new flow channel.
But the fact that there is mud present on Mars is enough to suggest that the red planet once had running liquid water or a source of liquid water. Along with the possible liquid water source, the researchers believe that Mars once had a stable environment and conditions that could allow alien life to thrive and exist.
According to the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Geophysics Professor Petr Broz, “If these features are indeed results of sedimentary volcanism, this is saying to us that in these areas somewhere in the subsurface has to be a source of mud. In other words, there has to be, or had to be, some sort of aquifer containing liquid water to mobilize the fine-grained sediments and take them to the surface of Mars.”
Professor Broz also noted that this may also exist on other planets in the Solar System.
Speaking of these mud tubes, experts believe that these mud tubes could become potential shelters for astronauts that will land on the red planet. These mud tubes that are found at the Hellas Planitia in the southern hemisphere of Mars, could be used to protect astronauts from cosmic radiation. This is a concern especially as the red planet has a very thin atmosphere and thus the amount of radiation is greater. Scientists have predicted that staying under these mud tubes could protect the astronauts from radiation by as much as 82 percent.
And because it could be closed off, astronauts could be able to add the necessary technology to heat the inside and create a more breathable environment.
