Mars is widely known for its iconic rusty red color — many people even refer to it as just the "Red Planet" — but new research suggests the Martian shade isn't just lovely to look at. The chemistry behind Mars' rosy hue may actually hold important information about our cosmic neighbor.

A new study in the journal Nature Communications reveals that Mars is red for very much the same reason it may have once been home to life — namely, that it was a wet planet. This is in line with research from last year that detailed how Mars was covered in bodies of water in its distant past.

Scientists once believed our planetary next-door neighbor got its rusty hue from hematite, a common iron ore known for its reddish-brown color. But new research suggests that another mineral is behind Mars' most recognizable characteristic.

Ferrihydrite, a water-rich iron mineral, plays an important role in giving the red planet its signature hue, according to the study.

Mars’s red dust may contain ferrihydrite, an iron mineral that forms in water. This suggests ancient Mars had water for longer than believed.