Mega Dust Storms | MARS

less than 1m read

·Nov 11, 2024

[music playing]

JIM GREEN: We've been studying the dust storms of Mars for quite some time. And there's a particular season where some of the dust storms can actually go global. Not just regional, but global. Dust storms on Mars can be absolutely enormous. They can be 20 to 30 kilometers high. And in fact, the dust can get charged. And in the case of these really tall dust storms, lightning can strike.

[thunder]

ANDY WEIR: These dust storms are huge. They can cover the entire planet. And they can last for months. They're visible from space. Mars just kind of turns into a hazy red ball. And we can't see surface, uh, features anymore with our satellites. The dust, it's not like sand. It's like talcum powder. It's—it's very, very microscopically small, nasty dust particles. And if they get into your lungs, it's a human safety issue. So, uh, you would want to try to keep it out as much as possible.

STEPHEN PETRANEK: There's a lot of dust on Mars. You know, we've learned from our rovers on Mars that they're constantly getting covered in dust. And one of the problems with solar panels is the dust would cover them almost instantly or they would simply block out the sun so much that they don't work. If you got a dust storm that lasted for a month on Mars, and you were relying on solar power, you'd be in big trouble.

When to buy a great business

Hiring Tips from Pebble Watch Founder Eric Migicovsky

View All

It’s much easier to build when you’re optimistic.

We all, you all, get to create this future. Yes, and there’s this thing where it’s cooler and edgier and more punk rock. Yes, to be like everything is, and that’s a good high horse to be on if you want to be cool. But if you’re actually building things an…

The Last Northern White Rhinos | Years of Living Dangerously

That’s right. It’s good we met the last three northern white rhinos in existence. They have three armed guards that follow them around and make sure the poachers don’t kill them, so they have to have 24-hour security. Yes. Do you think people will come i…

Plastics 101 | National Geographic

(bright music) [Narrator] Plastics have become such an entrenched part of our lives, but what exactly is plastic and how was it made? Before plastic became so ubiquitous, it underwent a transformation from being a strictly natural product to being synthe…

Cocaine Shipment at JFK Airport | To Catch a Smuggler

[music playing] We’re headed to a warehouse. This one has a lot of European shipments, South American shipments, a lot of source countries for us for narcotics. So we’re gonna see what we can find over here. [music playing] Albert, take a look at this. …

Co-Founder Equity Mistakes to Avoid | Startup School

[Music] Hello, I’m Michael Cybal, and today I’m going to talk about co-founder equity splits and co-founder breakups. To be clear, we want people who are building tech software startups that they expect to be VC funded. You know, this is advice for you. …

Finding 1 on the number line

I’m here at the Khan Academy exercise called “Find One on the Number Line,” and they’re asking us to do exactly that. It says move the dot to one on the number line, and it’s a little interactive dot that I could move around. So let’s think about how I wo…

Mega Dust Storms | MARS

More Articles