NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered siderite, an iron carbonate mineral, on Mars, potentially solving the mystery of the planet's lost atmosphere. The finding, published in Science, suggests Mars may have once had a thicker atmosphere than previously thought. Analysis of drilled samples from Mount Sharp in Gale Crater revealed the siderite within sulfate-rich layers. This discovery implies that significant amounts of carbon dioxide, crucial for a warmer, wetter Mars, may be hidden beneath the surface, rather than lost entirely to space. Future missions will investigate this further.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.