"Revealing the Vibrant Worlds: Mars and Pluto Unveiled"

What surprising discoveries have recent explorations of Mars and other celestial bodies revealed, challenging our preconceived notions and showcasing the vibrant and diverse nature of these worlds?

When we think of Mars, we often imagine a barren wasteland, a place devoid of life and colour—a big lonely rusty rock casting through space. For a long time, scientists believed that Mars was indeed a red earth. You see, Mars has a special gift. When it's far down from us, it appears as a tiny twinkling red fleck in the night sky, like a glowing ember in an ocean of stars. But as it gets near to Earth, it becomes more visible, and its sanguine hue becomes further apparent. This miracle has captured the imaginations of people throughout history, leading to numerous enterprises and myths about the nature of Mars.

Astronomers, of course, noticed it too. They believed that the colour was due to vast accumulations covered in iron oxide or rust. That is why we started calling Mars the red earth. When the Space Age started, NASA and other space agencies began transferring operations to Mars. Early orbiter images also showed Mars with a sanguine tinge. This idea was further popularised by numerous pictures, books, and television shows. They all showed us this dramatic picture of Mars as a desolate, harsh world with nothing but endless dunes and towering red escarpments.

Still, as technology advanced, we started sending orbiters, landers, and rovers to Mars. Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, and numerous others became our interplanetary investigators. Orbiters acted as Mars' all-seeing eyes in the sky. These spacecraft roamed around Mars and captured stunning images from high above, like cosmic photographers trying to reveal all of Mars' hidden secrets. But orbiters can only reveal so much. That's where landers and rovers come in. Mars' ground explores, these robotic explorers, navigate Martian roadways and byways. They try their best to study Martian soils, atmosphere, and geological features.

Thanks to them, we eventually found out the truth. Imagine standing on the face of Mars. Instead of an ocean of monotonous red beaches, you would be greeted by a stirring array of colours. As you look around, you might see rock formations that act as a luscious butterscotch cake, with their warm caramel tinges stretching across the geography. You come across dunes and plains that coruscate with a golden glow, as if Mars has hidden nuggets of precious essence just beneath its surface, waiting to be discovered by intrepid space prospectors.

Moving on, you stumble upon areas with a brown and tan colour palette that resembles a Martian safari, with tones evocative of the African Savannah. All that is missing is some unique Martian wildlife. And in some regions, you might indeed catch a glimpse of a slight greenish hue that adds a touch of mystery to the geography. These green colours indicate the presence of minerals on the surface. All these colours reveal Mars' intriguing geologic history. They are the results of colourful minerals and chemical compositions, effects such as olivine, sulphates, and tones that produce this visual feast for the eyes.

And by the way, our idea of Mars as a boring desert is also a myth. Actually, its geographies are shaped by ancient wash channels, wind-eroded impact craters, and shifting sands. But there is also some unwelcome addition to all these marvels. The thing is, humans have inadvertently managed to leave their mark on Mars, even though we have not physically visited it yet. Yes, we have inadvertently turned the red earth into an unintended landfill. Rovers and landers zipping across Mars, conducting scientific experiments, would naturally leave behind a trail of debris—disc.