New Insights Reveal Mars' Water Loss to Space

Research combining data from MAVEN and Hubble sheds light on how Mars lost its once-abundant water over billions of years.

Mars once had abundant water, evident from ancient river channels and lakebeds.
NASA's MAVEN and Hubble data show hydrogen atoms escaping Mars' atmosphere, leading to water loss.
Hydrogen escapes more easily than deuterium, altering the planet's hydrogen-to-deuterium ratio.
Seasonal changes in Mars' orbit affect the rate of water molecule breakdown and hydrogen escape.
Findings help understand the evolution of Mars and other rocky planets in habitable zones.