Mars has long been seen as one of humanity’s best hopes for colonization, but its harsh environment, freezing temperatures, thin atmosphere, and lack of liquid water, has made it an impossible destination for human life.

The “alien” is actually a potato. Specifically, it is a purple tuber nicknamed Spudnik-1, grown and photographed by Pettit. While the photo looks like a sci-fi horror prop, it actually represents the front line of human survival: a proof-of-concept for a journey to Mars.

For the first time, a Mars rover has crossed alien ground following a route drawn up not by human engineers, but by artificial intelligence. NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover recently completed a set of drives on the Red Planet that were planned end to end ...

NASA plans a 2028 nuclear-powered Mars mission using SR-1 Freedom and Skyfall helicopters, aiming to transform deep-space travel and future human exploration.

Our species isn't built for low gravity and high radiation. But could our genetically engineered kids handle that?

The vision of Mars colonization is moving from science fiction into real-world planning, with multiple space agencies preparing for long-term human presence. Modern Mars missions focus on testing landing systems, developing life support, and building ...

The Mars 2020 rover, which sets off for the Red Planet next year, will not only search for traces of ancient life, but pave the way for future human missions, NASA scientists said Friday as they unveiled the vehicle. The rover has been constructed in a ...

As the New Scientist Book Club reads Kim Stanley Robinson’s science-fiction novel in April, George Bass digs into why this 1992 book still feels so relevant today

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. The idea of humans living on Mars is closer to reality than it’s ever been. On Feb. 13, Elon Musk’s SpaceX ferried an international crew of four astronauts to the International Space ...