• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
NASA 'Surprised' After Rover Found Human-Made Rubbish On Mars

Home> News

Updated 01:33 17 Jun 2022 GMT+1Published 01:26 17 Jun 2022 GMT+1

NASA 'Surprised' After Rover Found Human-Made Rubbish On Mars

The space agency is remained confused about how the trash ended up in this section of the red planet.

Charisa Bossinakis

Charisa Bossinakis

As if pollution on Earth wasn't already concerning enough, a NASA rover has found a piece of rubbish while roaming on Mars.

Most Perseverance rovers spot tantalising rocks or sandy landscapes on the red planet, however NASA recently took to Twitter to confirm that they had discovered something rather ‘unexpected’.

The statement read: “My team has spotted something unexpected: It’s a piece of a thermal blanket that they think may have come from my descent stage, the rocket-powered jet pack that set me down on landing day back in 2021.”

Although the team noted that the material was a thermal blanket, they remained confused about how it ended up on the red planet.

Advert

“That shiny bit of foil is part of a thermal blanket – a material used to control temperatures,” the statement continued. 

“It’s a surprise finding this here: My descent stage crashed about 2 km away.

"Did this piece land here after that, or was it blown here by the wind?”

The discovery sparked fear of more human debris in space, with one person writing: “Well, we're off to a roaring start at destroying this planet just as much as we destroyed Earth.”

Another said: “No humans there yet and we've already left litter.”

Advert

While a third person commented: “And that’s how the first piece of garbage was collected on Mars.”

The recent discovery may also conflict with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, an international law which outlines that all bodies are responsible for ‘harmful contamination of space and celestial bodies'.

While the laws are brief, they specify that government and non-government bodies are also liable for damage caused by their 'space objects'.

Although it’s unclear what exactly happens if you breach the treaty, as it is literally ‘alien’ territory, UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory space scientist, Professor Andrew Coates, said the litter on Mars is nothing to worry about.

Advert

He told The Guardian: “The good news is that everything is sterilised before it goes to Mars, and the space radiation environment helps during the nine-month trip to Mars as does the harsh surface environment.”

It's hard for objects to land on Mars due to its thin atmosphere, however Professor Coates said that ‘landing’ equipment, which touches the planet’s surface, may be lost on the odd occasion.

Thankfully, they pose no threat of contamination.

He said: "These 'fly off into the sunset' from the landing site and ultimately crash, but the contamination risk is very low."

Featured Image Credit: Twitter/NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover.Alamy.

Topics: Space, NASA, News

Charisa Bossinakis
Charisa Bossinakis

Charisa Bossinakis is an Associative Journalist at LADbible. Charisa has worked across various media platforms including, print, digital, radio and podcasting while maintaining the highest regard for quality work and integrity. She also covered everything from breaking news, to pop culture, entertainment and politics and is part of the editorial team for LADbible.

X

@CBossinakis

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

10 hours ago
11 hours ago
12 hours ago
  • 10 hours ago

    Psychologist explains why Donald Trump does 'trademark move' after world leader 'outplays' him at it

    An expert has analysed Donald Trump's 'physical' move that he pulls when meeting fellow world leaders

    News
  • 10 hours ago

    Mum claims 'dirty' lodge hot tub caused her to erupt in 'gruesome' rash leaving her housebound for two weeks

    Francesca Newton said a rash started about 24 hours after she'd been in the hot tub

    News
  • 11 hours ago

    Biggest male great white shark ever recorded in Atlantic Ocean on move to popular US holiday destination

    Anyone feel like humming the theme from Jaws?

    News
  • 12 hours ago

    Family of British man who survived Air India crash breaks silence

    His relatives say the survivor of the crash has 'no idea' how he survived

    News
  • Researchers think they've solved the mystery of dark markings found on Mars surface
  • NASA Mars Rover captures ‘well-preserved’ honey and waffle structures on red planet
  • NASA Mars rover makes discovery ‘unlike anything ever seen’ that could change what we know about planet
  • Mysterious landmarks on Mars have been discovered by NASA