Mars: A World Record

The surface of Mars today is the compound result of billions of years of processes that have shaped and altered the surface, but the red planet's rock record preserves a story of how Mars has evolved. Earth and Mars used to be more similar, and maybe, like Earth, Mars harboured niches favourable for the emergence of life.

Elliot Sefton-Nash is a Planetary Scientist working at the European Space Agency. He works on missions to Mars and its moons. His research focusses on analysing data acquired from spacecraft to investigate the context of past and present solar system habitats, and to target sites for future robotic and human exploration.