International

The five most shocking discoveries on Mars

October 15 |

On July 31, 2008, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States (U.S.) announced that laboratory tests carried out by the Phoenix mission on Mars proved the existence of water on the so-called red planet.

The U.S. agency dedicated to explore space reported that the robotic arm of the Phoenix deposited a sample taken in an instrument in which water vapors are identified.

“We have water” on Mars, said William Boynton, scientist of the thermal analyzer of the University of Arizona, on that memorable date.

We invite you to know in this article which have been the most shocking discoveries made on Mars.

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Lake of liquid water

In 2018 the Marsis radar, installed aboard the Mars Express Orbiter exploration mission coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA), discovered a lake of liquid salt water which is presumed to be at least one meter deep, reported then the group of Italian scientists who were at the forefront of the discovery.

This important finding is the first sign of liquid water on the fourth planet of the solar system. In the past, Mars had water, however, the cooling of the planet and its weak atmosphere caused it to disappear or turn into ice.

The spiders of Mars

The automatic interplanetary multi-platform station Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter discovered last May 13, 2018 some “giant spiders” on the surface of the red planet.

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The “arachnids” correspond to a carbon dioxide ice cap which, once the sunlight hits it, reproduces the false image of the aforementioned animal.

The blue sunsets of the red planet

NASA’s robot explorer Curiosity photographed for the first time the blue sunsets of the red planet. The left camera of the mechanic sent from Earth actually recorded a video of which we know its most beautiful frames.

The image, more than for its beauty, was used by scientists to study the composition and fall of the night dust on Mars, something fundamental to understand the origin of the planet.

Not only sunsets, also blue dunes

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The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) discovered large blue dunes with green hues on January 24, 2018.

The coloration is due to methane gas accumulations along with organic molecules in rocks more than 3 billion years old. Most strikingly, the latter could suggest the presence of ancient life forms.

Life on Mars?

The long-awaited life on Mars, whether it is extinct or actually exists, has not been fully proven. So those who want to dream of a destroyed civilization that migrated to Earth must wait a little longer.

However, the Viking probes sent by NASA more than 40 years ago, especially the robotic Labeled Release, or LR, team, provided evidence that could hint at the possibility of ancient life forms, something that is still being investigated by scientists.

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So why is Mars red?

Although the fourth planet in the solar system has blue sunsets and blue dunes, from Earth we observe it as red because of the high concentrations of iron oxide on its surface.

So, every time we have the possibility to see the fourth planet of the solar system from our homes, we will still see it red, and we will never be able to enjoy the blue sunsets and dunes. Unless we are ever able to visit Mars.

International

Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal

Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.

The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.

The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).

“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.

Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”

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International

Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders

President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.

Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.

A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”

According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.

International

Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join

Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.

Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.

“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.

“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.