Scientists have detected tiny lightning bolts on Mars for the first time — they were found discharging around NASA's Perseverance rover and coming from dust-storm fronts and whirling dust devils.
Finding the electrical discharges has solved a major Martian mystery, namely the origin of oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide on the Red Planet, which was discovered on Mars in 2003. These oxidants can react with organic molecules, potentially destroying biosignatures, while other chemical reactions triggered by the lightning can generate new organic molecules.
