'Very interesting wiggles' in data from silent NASA Mars spacecraft lead to unexpected solar wind discovery

NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft has detected unusual patterns in its data, indicating a novel atmospheric phenomenon on the Red Planet. These "wiggles" in the data point to a previously unknown interaction between the Martian atmosphere and the solar wind. This discovery sheds light on how planets lacking a substantial global magnetic field are affected by solar storms.

This finding is significant because it offers new insights into planetary evolution and atmospheric loss mechanisms, particularly for worlds without protective magnetic fields like Earth's.