The red planet is known to have a thin and dry atmosphere, but scientists believe it was not always this way and something happened in the planet's past that caused it to lose its air. Nasa said the new 'key science findings', which are due to be announced on Thursday, could provide novel insights about Mars's history, evolution, and, possibly, the planet's habitability.

Measurements from Nasa’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (Maven) mission show that the atmosphere was ripped away by a huge burst of gas and magnetism from the Sun. The results of the mission bring far more detail to scientists’ understanding of how the Martian atmosphere changed during its early life. When it was younger, Mars was much warmer and wetter — and so potentially far more hospitable to life. But at some point since, it has dried out and become far colder, making it harder to live there and leaving life very rare if it exists at all.