💬 Quoted: “The gap between where Mars is and where Mars could be for habitability is narrower than we might think.”

• One of the classic tropes in science fiction is terraforming Mars – aka modifying the planet’s surface temperature (median: -85°F; range = -225°F to 70°F), atmosphere, and other key features to make it more habitable for life forms. But the idea also has a strong basis in reality, according to a study published yesterday in Science Advances. In the study, a team of US researchers proposed a novel idea for terraforming Mars that involves injecting tiny particles of iron and aluminum into the planet’s atmosphere, which the scientists say could warm Mars by at least 52°F in as little as a few months (enough to sustain liquid water on its surface). But terraforming Mars isn’t a one-and-done deal – the researchers plan would require the addition of ~2 million tons of particles each year, an amount they say can easily be obtained from the large quantities of iron and aluminum found in Martian dust.

🇺🇸 Stat of the Day: Covid was the 10th leading cause of death in the US last year – down from fourth in 2022 – following a 69% annual reduction in mortalities, according to CDC data published yesterday. Overall, there were 3.1 million US deaths in 2023, a 6% decline compared to the previous year, with heart disease, cancer, and unintentional injuries ranking as the top-three leading causes.

🤔 Did You Know? It’s virtually impossible for a human to sink entirely in quicksand due to the higher density of the fluid. Studies have shown people only sink up to their chests before beginning to float.

📰 Worth a Read: The 'absurd' real-life sting operation that inspired a movie → (BBC Culture)