Perseverance finds fine Martian dust that could enter human lungs

NASA's Perseverance rover has measured fine and ultrafine dust particles on samples of spacesuit material after 1,645 Martian days on the planet. Researchers say some particles are small enough to reach the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Scott VanBommel, a planetary scientist at Washington University in St. Louis and lead author, says smaller particles can penetrate deeper into the body. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The data could inform spacesuit and habitat design, dust-removal procedures and crew health standards for future NASA missions to Mars.