10 amazing things we found on Mars in 2024, from hundreds of 'spiders' to a 'Martian dog'
Making new findings about Mars' history and taking us one step closer to the possibility of one day inhabiting the planet has been business as usual, and this year was certainly no different.
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Here are the top 10 most fascinating discoveries on Mars from the past year, including the infamous "spiders on Mars", a gigantic dog-shaped feature, an underground ocean, and other groundwater reserves mentioned, yes you read that right!
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Picture This: 32 Bizarre Things on Mars That Defy Explanation
Giant underground ocean
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The InSight lander owned by NASA revealed a hidden water reservoir in layers of rock running 11 to 21 kilometres beneath Mars' surface by studying over four years of "Marsquake" data. Although current drilling techniques cannot reach this depth on Earth, this finding could hold vast significance for future space travellers if a method is discovered to access it.
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"Spiders" swarm "Inca City"
When carbon dioxide ice dries out and transforms directly into the gaseous state, it lifts up particles of dust from beneath, which collect in peculiar shapes on the terrain.
Known as the "Inca City" formation.
This will aid scientists in gaining a deeper understanding of these unusual formations going forward.
There is a peculiar creature known as the "Martian dog" which has been a subject of speculation by some experts in the field of astrobiology. It is described as a mysterious being that is said to inhabit the planet Mars.
One such "mysterious blob" was reportedly discovered on the Martian surface in 1877 by astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli.
Oceans surrounding Mars' northern pole are being mapped for the first time thanks to a groundbreaking "gravity map".
The new map was made using information from the InSight lander and Mars Express orbiter, showing 20 hidden structures with densities 0.3 to 0.4 times the density of the surrounding bedrock. However, it is not yet clear what they are or how they were formed.
Further research has confirmed the existence of a vast, solidified lava plug stretching 1,750 kilometres beneath the highest point in the solar system, Olympus Mons - a towering volcano lying above the Martian equator and standing at over 25 kilometres tall.
Huge volcanic system hiding in full view beneath Antarctica
Extending over 450 km.
A huge volcano, still lacking a name, had gone unnoticed until recently because it had been extremely worn away, leaving very little of it visible above ground. Nonetheless, researchers investigating the area observed that the zone was surrounded by remnants of ancient hills that would have once dominated the surrounding scenery.
Scientists also detected what appears to be the remnants of a sheet of buried glacier ice located at the foot of the volcano, which could make the volcano a "prime spot" for astrobiological study.
A salty smile
Observing the Martian terrain stretching out before them as they emerged from the Martian surface.
The cheerful shape, comprising a ring of ancient deposits of chloride salt with a pair of crater-like features resembling eyes, was photographed by ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. The chloride salt appears pink in the image because it was taken with infrared radiation, making the smile imperceptible to the human eye.
The picture was captured as part of a study that investigated almost 1,000 similar deposits, which are all believed to offer ideal circumstances for biological life and preservation, as the researchers noted.
Snow-capped summits overflowing with water
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Scientists estimate that approximately 150,000 tons of water frost cover the four highest Martian peaks at any one time, an amount equal to 60 Olympic swimming pools' worth, as pictures taken by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Trace Gas Orbiter have shown.
Researchers previously thought this wouldn't be feasible due to the intense sunlight at the equator, but all the volcanoes are situated, which would melt any ice instantaneously. However, the latest research reveals that whilst the frost sublimates every 24 hours, it re-freezes overnight.
Weird rocks
The surface of Mars is scattered with loose stones, and this year NASA's rovers have discovered a group of unusual ones.
from "Star Trek."
Scientists working near the Jezero Crater have identified a peculiar rock, dubbed "Atoko Point" after a counterpart found in the Grand Canyon. They believe this rock stands out as an "exceptional find" and could provide valuable insights into Mars' geological history.
This rock, known as "Freya Castle", is quite unlike others found on Mars. Scientists aren't certain where it originally came from, but they think that volcanic events may have created it.
Mysterious landscape" and "in alleyway darkness
In April, ESA's Mars Orbiter captured images of surface features near the planet's southern pole that researchers stated were "surprisingly dark in comparison to their icy surroundings."
They believe that these features arise from patches of carbon dioxide ice, which freeze and dissociate over the course of the year. This follows a seasonal cycle, wherein the ice materialises during Martian autumn and vanishes in spring.
The team also identified particular locations where they think dark dust from the surface is pulled up through the ice, much like "spiders on Mars" emerge, resulting in polygonal patterns where the dust absorbs extra sunlight and causes the ice to melt from solid to gas at a faster rate.
Green spots
this year.
Tiny points, roughly 0.08 inches (0.2 centimetres) across, were photographed by the rover last August on an area referred to as "Serpentine Rapids". Pictures are of colourful patches next to white dots in the rocks. Similar green patches can be found in our planet's rocks when iron gets rusted and gives the rocks a similar composition to rust – and researchers think it's probably the same thing happening on Mars.
On Earth, microbes have been discovered to be responsible for weathering rocks, suggesting it is also possible that similar processes may have occurred on Mars. Nevertheless, it has been proposed that these patterns could also be the result of inorganic factors.
Buried ice chunks
this year.
The submerged blocks, which stretch 3.7 kilometres beneath the surface, were identified through radar images taken by ESA's Mars Express Orbiter. They are buried beneath a geological formation called the "Medusae Fossae Formation" and are concealed by thick layers of ash and dust.
It is unclear how the ice beneath Mars has been deposited, but this is not the first instance of frozen water being discovered near the Martian equator, indicating that establishing future Martian bases at the planet's equatorial region could have some benefits.
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