Geologists from MIT have identified smectite, a clay mineral with the unique ability to capture and store carbon for millions of years, potentially cooling Earth's climate. Found within seafloor ...

They believe that mineral, called smectite, pulled carbon dioxide out of Mars' atmosphere sometime between the planet's late Noachian and late Hesperian period—3.7 to 2.9 billion years ago.

The researchers also thoroughly analyzed clay minerals, specifically smectite, known for its effective carbon-trapping ...