[HN Gopher] Have we been wrong about why Mars is red?
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       Have we been wrong about why Mars is red?
        
       Author : rntn
       Score  : 34 points
       Date   : 2025-02-25 17:11 UTC (5 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.esa.int)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.esa.int)
        
       | bognition wrote:
       | The key point is that the rust that gives Mars its red color was
       | thought to form in a dry period, after mars lost its water:
       | 
       | > Previous studies of the iron oxide component of the martian
       | dust based on spacecraft observations alone did not find evidence
       | of water contained within it. Researchers had therefore concluded
       | that this particular type of iron oxide must be hematite, formed
       | under dry surface conditions through reactions with the martian
       | atmosphere over billions of years - after Mars's early wet
       | period.
       | 
       | The new research suggests otherwise:
       | 
       | > 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. Ferrihydrite typically forms quickly in the
       | presence of cool water
        
         | empath75 wrote:
         | Ferrihydrite also produces water when heated. You'd need to
         | collect and process 250-500kg of martian soil per day to
         | produce enough water for one person to survive, assuming half
         | of the iron oxide is actually ferrihydrite. You'd also need the
         | energy to do the separation and heating.
        
           | tossaway2000 wrote:
           | Is that assuming the water expelled from the person can be
           | reused or not?
        
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