Overview

• 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.