University of Iowa researcher helps identify potential gems on Mars

By: Brooklyn Draisey

Outlets: Iowa Capital Dispatch

Published: August 28, 2026

Words: 857

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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A University of Iowa researcher is helping to unearth the geological secrets of Earth’s planetary neighbor, with recent findings of a necessary mineral to create certain precious gemstones and future study into the largest canyon in the solar system identified so far.

Valerie Payré, an assistant professor in the UI School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability, said striving to learn about the history and geological makeup of Mars’s surface can help in better understanding Earth’s …

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