Nearly 200 meteorites from Mars found on Earth

Throughout the history of the Solar System, collisions between asteroids and Mars were so violent that they hurled debris from the Red Planet directly to Earth. Among the many meteorites found on our planet, a large number – about 200 – have been found to be from Mars.

Caltech’s new research shows that it doesn’t take very strong blows to send rocks from planet Mars into space, and thus back to Earth. It requires much less pressure than previously imagined.

Paul Asimow, a professor at Caltech and planetary scientist at JPL and Yang Liu, a co-author of the study, said previous experiments have shown that plagioclase converts to masklinite at shock pressure of 30 gigapascals (300,000 times atmospheric pressure). experienced. at sea level.

By identifying more Martian meteorites and tracing them back to the impact crater they came from, the researchers hope they can learn more about the geological history and evolution of the Red Planet.

Besides, The study could also have important implications for the search for life on the planet. Because Martian meteorites may contain evidence of past life, exploring more meteorites and their impact craters could help scientists identify promising locations for future missions to search for life.

But for scientists studying the planet and its history, these meteorites are a window into a distant and fascinating world that continues to challenge and intrigue humanity.