![\"High-resolution](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_276026134-dd60.jpg\")
\n\t\tNasa scientists believe they have detected electrical activity on Mars (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tNasa scientists believe they have detected electrical activity on Mars (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Nasa scientists believe they recorded electrical activity in the Martian atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Electrical discharges \u2013 the release and transmission of electricity\u00a0through an insulating medium \u2013 were found in audio and electromagnetic recordings by a NASA robot.<\/p>\n
The space agency\u2019s Perseverance\u00a0rover was sent to Mars in search of signs of biology.<\/p>\n
But the miniature lightning bolts, described as \u2018little zaps\u2019 similar to \u2018static electrcity\u2019 were detected by the robot\u2019s SuperCam \u2013 a suite of remote-sensing instruments.<\/p>\n
The SuperCam performs remote analyses of rocks and soils with a camera, two lasers and four spectrometres \u2013 a scientific instrument used to separate and measure the components of a \u2018physical phenomenon\u2019.<\/p>\n
Lead author of the research Dr Baptiste Chide said: \u2018These discharges represent a major discovery, with direct implications for Martian atmospheric chemistry, climate, habitability and the future of robotic and human exploration.\u2019<\/p>\n
\t\t![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_276025579-ad8a.jpg\")
\n\t\tA dust devil on Mars (Picture: Nasa)<\/p>\n
\t\t![\"FILE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_275787450-4b19.jpg\")
\n\t\tNasa rover Perseverance on Mars in July 2024, where it has been stationed since 2021 (Picture: AP)<\/p>\n
The miniature lightning bolts were smaller than those on Earth but could interfere with the instruments, landers and space suits of astronauts on Mars. <\/p>\n
Scientists suspected that the planet\u2019s dust storms and \u2018dust devils\u2019, small whirlwinds that form from hot air rising from the ground, might generate electrical activity. <\/p>\n
Now, they hope new instruments for measuring electrical discharges could be sent to confirm what they found. <\/p>\n
The discovery came from a microphone that was inadvertently recording the sounds of lightning. <\/p>\n
Dr Chide said they were \u2018little zaps\u2019 similar to \u2018what you might feel in dry weather<\/a> when you touch your car door and there\u2019s a bit of static electricity\u2019.<\/p>\n When tiny grains of dust rub against each other, they become charged with electrons and release energy in tiny electrical arcs around a few centimetres or millimetres long. This creates an audible shock wave. <\/p>\n These discharges happen \u2018all the time and everywhere\u2019 on Mars, according to Dr Chine. <\/p>\n Perseverance has previously transmitted other sounds, including the crunch of its wheels landing on Mars\u2019 surface as well as the whir of the blades of its no longer flying helicopter counterpart, Ingenuity.<\/p>\n The rover has been scanning a dry river delta on the planet since 2021.<\/p>\n It has collected rock samples in search for signs of microscopic ancient life, with Nasa currently exploring cost effective methods for transporting them to Earth.<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more stories like this, check our news page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow
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