NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this image of a mysterious perfect hole on the surface of Mars. Does it lead to a Martian base? And if not, could it someday if we build one?
Just a few meters across, the hole is located near the Red Planet's Arsia Mons dormant volcano. This suggests the pit was caused by volcanic activity long ago. One of multiple pits found on Mars, it's possible that the hole leads to a large cavern or a lava tube.
"Human visitors to Mars need somewhere to shelter from the radiation, temperature swings, and dust storms that plague the planet," explains ScienceAlert. "If the planet is anything like Earth or the Moon, it may have large underground lava tubes that could house shelters. Collapsed sections of lava tubes, called skylights, could provide access to these subterranean refuges."
Previously:
• Star Trek Starfleet insignia spotted on Mars
• Elegy for Ingenuity, a tiny helicopter
