By Dean Murray

Scientists have spotted over a thousand dust devils on Mars.

New research tracking the swirling Martian winds has revealed they reach speeds far higher than previously believed.

An international team led by the University of Bern tracked 1,039 dust devils — tornado-like whirlwinds — across the planet’s surface using 20 years of European Space Agency satellite images.

The study found that near-surface winds can reach up to 160 km/h, significantly stronger than past surface measurements suggested.

By applying machine learning to images from Mars Express and the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter , researchers created the first global catalogue of dust devil speeds and directions.

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