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.

New research shows that the red dust on Mars contains ferrihydrite, a water-rich iron oxide. It's evidence that the planet rusted in water.

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

The color red and the planet Mars go together like Earth and its oceans or Saturn and its rings. However, our understanding of how the Red Planet got its signature hue might be wrong. A new hypothesis focusing on ferrihydrite is detailed in a study published February 25 in the journal Nature Communications.

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 – dusty, dry, and desert-clad – was once so rich in water it had not just lakes, but oceans, according to a new study. Observations using ground-penetrating radar have revealed underground features consistent with beaches on the red planet,