Space & Astronomy

Mysterious hole on Mars could lead to labyrinth of underground caves

By T.K. Randall
June 17, 2024 ·  5 comments

How deep is this hole and could anything be alive down there ? Image Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech Exploring the depths of an undocumented cave system can be a daunting prospect at the best of times, but imagine being one of the first people to venture deep into a labyrinth of caverns stretching for countless miles beneath the surface of another planet.

Scientists have long suspected that Mars is home to a network of dormant subterranean lava tubes that could provide a safe haven for primitive alien life, as well as a potential place to build a human base or colony in the not-too-distant future.

Recently, the University of Arizona highlighted one particular image captured back in 2022 by the HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

It shows an ominous looking hole on the Martian surface, measuring around 150ft in diameter.

It is believed that this opening leads down into a lava tube that might itself be linked to a vast subterranean network of such tunnels - a place ripe for exploration.It's difficult, however, to know exactly how far down the hole goes.

"There's more than one of these pits on Mars that we've seen," geophysicist Brandon Johnson told Business Insider.

"But they're really interesting because they're places where astronauts might be able to go and be safe from radiation."

They are also a good place to look for evidence of alien life, he added.

Source: Lad Bible | Comments (5)

Tags: Mars, Caves