ESA images show Utopia Planitia on Mars turning reddish brown
Technology
Something strange is happening in Mars's Utopia Planitia basin, a spot that might have once been an ancient ocean.
New images from the European Space Agency show huge patches turning from sandy beige to dark reddish-brown, and researchers are scratching their heads over what is behind this dramatic shift.
Mars: winds or dust, changes accelerating
Scientists think martian winds could be blowing volcanic ash around, or maybe even blowing away ochre-colored dust.
The fact that these changes have sped up since NASA's 1976 photos has everyone wondering if Mars's surface is more active than we thought.