Scientists believe they have recorded electrical activity in the Martian atmosphere for the first time, suggesting the planet is capable of lightning.
NASA's Perseverance rover, which touched down on Mars in 2021, was sent to search for signs of biology and has spent the last four years exploring the Jezero Crater region.
Electrical discharges nicknamed mini lightning were picked up from audio and electromagnetic recordings made by the rover's SuperCam instrument.
Scientists hope new instruments for measuring atmospheric discharges and more-sensitive cameras could be sent to Mars to try to confirm the findings.
A team of researchers from France analyzed 28 hours of microphone recordings made by the NASA rover over two Martian years (or 1,374 Earth days).
They found that electrical discharges were usually associated with dust devils and dust storm fronts.
Dust devils are small whirlwinds that can generate electrical discharges due to their internal movements.
Lead author Dr. Baptiste Chide stated that these discharges represent a major discovery with significant implications for Martian atmospheric chemistry, climate, habitability, and the future of exploration.
Dr. Chide and his team believe that Mars now joins Earth, Saturn, and Jupiter as planets known to have atmospheric electrical activity.
Despite the promising findings, particle physicist Dr. Daniel Pritchard cautioned that some skepticism may remain about whether this truly constitutes Martian lightning, as the discharges were only heard and not visually confirmed.
The findings come on the heels of September's discovery of rocks on Mars with unusual markings, which could be associated with past biological activity.
Perseverance was dispatched to the Jezero Crater due to its history of sustaining liquid surface water, making it a potential location for past life.
