NASA's Perseverance rover has detected electrical discharges, dubbed 'mini-lightning', in Mars' thin atmosphere, marking the first direct evidence of such activity on the Red Planet.​

These faint sparks, resembling static electricity, were recorded amid dust devils and storms using the rover's SuperCam microphone and electromagnetic sensors.​

The six-wheeled rover, operational in Jezero Crater since 2021, analysed 28 hours of audio over two Martian years, identifying 55 such events.​

Most discharges occurred during dust devils, with 16 captured during close encounters, lasting seconds to 30 minutes in storms.​

These arcs, mere millimetres long, produce crackling sounds audible against Martian winds, absorbed partly by the CO2-rich air.​

Lead author Baptiste Chide highlighted implications for atmospheric chemistry, climate, habitability, and future missions.​

Dust electrification aids particle transport, key to Martian weather, while lower energy thresholds in the thin atmosphere enable sparks more readily than on Earth.​

Planetary scientist Ralph Lorenz likened them to car ignition sparks, confirming suspicions long held about Mars.​

Electrostatic discharges threaten electronics in robotic landers and pose hazards for astronauts, though large bolts remain unlikely.​

Experts like Daniel Mitchard note potential equipment challenges from frequent static, urging enhanced protections.​

Mars now joins Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn with verified atmospheric electricity; Venus, Uranus, and Titan may follow.​

Findings appeared in Nature on 26 November 2025, based on serendipitous SuperCam data not originally for lightning detection.​

Despite compelling audio and signals, visual confirmation awaits future missions, sparking scientific debate.​

Agencies