12 striking facts about Mars that will make you a fan of the red planet

Humanity has sent dozens of probes and satellites to Mars over the decades.

These plucky spacecraft have beamed back dazzling photos, inspired hit sci-fi movies like "The Martian", and even gave Elon Musk the idea to colonize the red planet.

But how much do you really know about Earth's next-door neighbor?

Even though humans have yet to arrive and there are still plenty of mysteries to solve, scientists have figured out a great deal about Mars.

From what it's like on the surface to the most impressive landmarks to the presence of an ancient ocean (and tsunamis!), keep scrolling to learn 12 incredible facts about Mars you probably didn't know.