Scientists have found a new signal from dust storms on Mars. This discovery happened in late 2024. The signal came from a special instrument on a spacecraft called MAVEN, which has been studying Mars since 2014.
Dust storms on Mars can cover the entire planet. They move a lot of dry sand through the thin Martian atmosphere. Researchers wanted to know if these storms create electricity, like dust storms or volcanic clouds do on Earth. They looked for signs of this, such as flashes of light or sounds from radio waves, but found nothing until now.
Dr. David Andrews and his team identified a special sound called a lightning whistler. This sound is made when electrical discharges happen. The researchers discovered this sound using data from MAVEN. The findings suggest that lightning on Mars may happen differently than on Earth.
Understanding this electrical activity may help scientists learn more about Mars. They will keep searching for more signals to see how common this activity is on the planet.
