Meteoroid shock waves help scientists locate new craters on Mars

Findings will help build more accurate picture of how often space rocks crash into red planet

Researchers have located fresh craters on Mars using shock waves caused by lumps of space rock as they tear through the sky and slam into the ground.

The new scars on the face of the planet are the first impact craters ever traced from the bang and crash of hurtling meteoroids bombarding another planet. The findings will help scientists build a more accurate picture of how often Mars is battered by the solar system's rocky detritus and refine their understanding of the deep internal structure of our planetary neighbour.