blurry photograph of Mars surface with dark spots.

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

The dusty red planet has fascinated us for centuries. Even as we learn more, its mysteries keep us in suspense.

Early, blurry views of Mars inspired stories of canal-building aliens.
Photograph by E.C. Slipher, LOWELL OBSERVATORY ARCHIVES
This story appears in the March 2021 issue of National Geographic magazine.
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