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Thursday, October 1, 2026 · UTC
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New studies find differing Mars-Earth formation, simpler Enceladus ocean sampling

Two planetary science papers published this week report revised findings on rocky planet origins and icy moon observation.

Luisa Marconi
Senior Space Correspondent
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Scientists study Mars and Enceladus formation in lab research
Scientists study Mars and Enceladus formation in lab research AI illustrationhow this picture was made
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have concluded Earth and Mars formed via different planetary formation processes, in work published in Nature Astronomy.[1] The study analysed volatile elements including sodium, zinc and potassium in planetary crust and mantle, using these as chemical fingerprints for how each body assembled.[2] In separate research released one day earlier, planetary scientist Frank Postberg led a team finding the composition of Enceladus's hidden ocean can be determined from ejected ice particles more easily than previously believed.[3]
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  1. University of Copenhagen researchers published a 2026 study in Nature Astronomy concluding Earth and Mars formed via different planetary formation processes. · Phys.org
  2. The research team analyzed volatile elements including sodium, zinc and potassium in planetary crust and mantle as chemical fingerprints for formation processes. · Phys.org
  3. Frank Postberg, a planetary scientist at the Free University of Berlin, led a study indicating that the composition of Enceladus's hidden ocean can be determined more easily from ice particles ejected into space than previously believed. · El Tiempo
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