In the next few decades, humanity plans to fly to Mars. As part of these risky missions, scientists first want to look for traces of extraterrestrial life, because the Red Planet seems to be the most suitable for this. They also plan to carefully study the environment – there is hope that it will be possible to create a human colony there, and we will finally become a civilization living on several planets at once. Since Mars is a foreign place for us, space travelers will have a hard time. They will have to somehow survive in conditions of low temperatures and increased radiation, and sandstorms often occur on the Red Planet. Recently, scientists found a mysterious hole on Mars, which in the future could become a refuge for the first colonists.
A mysterious hole on Mars discovered by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Source: nasa.gov
New discovery on Mars
A mysterious hole on the surface of Mars was found in images taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). It is equipped with the HiRISE camera, which creates high-resolution images. The authors of the scientific publication Science Alert shared information about the discovery.
Another photo taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft. The three dots closer to the middle are extinct volcanoes, near which the hole was found. Source: nasa.gov
The hole on Mars appears to be small, estimated to be only a few meters across. It is located in the region of Mount Arsia, an extinct shield volcano with a diameter of 435 kilometers and a height of approximately 19 kilometers. In the past, this region was volcanically active, but today nothing like that happens on Mars. Most likely, the hole was formed as a result of numerous volcanic eruptions.
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What are lava tubes
With a high degree of probability, the mysterious hole on Mars is the entrance to a lava tube. This is the name given to natural tunnels that are formed as a result of the movement of hot lava underground. The dimensions of lava tubes can vary, ranging from several tens of meters to many kilometers.
Kazumura Lava Cave in Hawaii. Source: wikimedia.org
There are many lava caves on Earth, and Kazumura in Hawaii is one of the most famous. Its depth is 1101 meters and its length reaches 65.5 kilometers. Scientists have already found many lava tubes on Mars, and some of them, judging by data from research vehicles, are larger than those on Earth. Scientists believe that Martian lava tubes are larger due to the fact that gravity on Mars is weaker.
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How will people live on Mars
On Earth, lava tubes are usually visited only by scientists and tourists simply because it is interesting. But on Mars and other planets, these natural formations could become homes for astronauts in the future. The fact is that inside these tunnels, the temperature is approximately the same, there are no sharp changes. Also, being under the surface of the planet, space travelers will be protected from radiation and the fall of small meteorites.
There is also hope that scientists will be able to find traces of extraterrestrial life inside lava caves on Mars. Perhaps they will find organisms that have long died, and they will be microscopic. But the very fact of their presence will indicate that we are not alone in the Universe and life beyond our planet is possible.
A selection of photographs of the hole on Mars
But before you build shelters in lava tubes, you need to study them carefully. Little is known about the features of lava caves on Mars, but we know quite a lot about tunnels on Earth and the Moon. For example, relatively recently, scientists discovered that ancient people lived in lava caves. And the lunar tunnels have been studied so well that Chinese researchers are already planning to build lunar bases inside them.
Unfortunately, there is a possibility that the huge hole on Mars does not lead anywhere. Source: nasa.gov
If scientists find a huge lava cave on Mars, it will be wonderful. This discovery could hasten the day when humanity finally lands on the Red Planet. However, scientists have a suspicion that the mysterious hole on Mars is not the entrance to a cave, but simply a depression. If you look closely, you can see the side wall of the hole in the photo, and there is a possibility that the depression does not lead anywhere. But even if this is so, scientists may well find a use for this hole.
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You can see a lot of strange things in satellite images of Mars. For example, something that looks like a bunch of spiders has been hotly debated on the internet recently. If you want to look at this intriguing photo and find out more details, read our article “The Internet is discussing a photo with “spiders on Mars.” What is this?