NASA’s Perseverance Rover Detects Evidence of Lightning on Mars

Scientists have detected what they believe are crackles of lightning on Mars. NASA’s Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021, carries a microphone that picked up pops of small electrical shocks amongst Martian winds. Perseverance has been exploring the Jezero Crater region for the last four years, with a mission to obtain rock samples and detect signs of ancient life on Mars.

While scientists have long suspected that lightning strikes on Mars, this is the first time that audio evidence was captured supporting their theory and indicating that electrical discharges are present in the Martian atmosphere. Overall, 55 electrical discharges were identified by a team of French scientists after sifting through 29 hours of audio recorded by Perseverance over two Martian years (1,374 Earth days). Sixteen of the electrical discharges were recorded as dust devils and dust storm fronts passed over the Perseverance rover. On Mars, dust devils and dust storms occur regularly, which block sunlight and prevent the surface from warming.

These findings, published in the journal Nature, will aid in designing future robotic and human missions to Mars. Furthermore, the electrical shocks generated by dust storms can lead to the production of oxidants that degrade organic molecules, the components that life-detection missions are targeting. Earlier in 2025, the Perseverance rover had uncovered the clearest evidence yet of ancient life on Mars in rock formations.

Author: Helen Wu, 2025-2026 Articling Student-At-Law