An artistic representation of the Zwan-Wolf effect at Mars, as observed by NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission. (Image credit: LASP/CU Boulder) Even as NASA continues to try to restore contact with the MAVEN spacecraft after it fell silent in late 2025, scientists analyzing its data have spotted a phenomenon in Mars’ atmosphere that, until now, had only been observed around strongly magnetized planets like Earth. The finding could help scientists better understand how space weather shapes worlds without protective magnetic shields, including planets such as Venus and Saturn's largest moon Titan , the researchers say. The phenomenon, known as the Zwan-Wolf effect, helps deflect the solar wind — the constant stream of charged particles flowing from the sun — as it encounters a planet’s magnetic environment.…