A new study claims that a mineral found in Mars' dust called ferrihydrite, which forms in the presence of cool water, is likely what gives the planet its reddish hue.

The color red and the planet Mars go together like Earth and its oceans or Saturn and its rings. However, our understanding of how the Red Planet got its signature hue might be wrong. A new ...

New research has revealed that Martian dust's red hue comes from reactions that occurred in wet — not dry — conditions, and it could have implications for the possibility of life on the planet.