‘Creepy smiley face’ on Mars reveals the Red Planet’s secrets

ESA shared a picture of a “creepy smiley face” spotted on Mars. It could hold secrets about the Red Planet’s “potential for past life.”

The European Space Agency’s (ESA)Instagram page is no less than a treasure trove for those who love everything about space. Be it updates about our solar system or information about cosmic bodies located millions of light years away, the feed is filled with numerous visuals that often leave people in awe. The latest share about a “creepy smiley face” on Mars fits that category. The pics ESA shared are of chloride salt deposits that reveal more about the Red Planet’s history.

The image shows the “creepy smiley face” discovered by scientists on Mars, the Red Planet. (Instagram/@europeanspaceagency)

“Why so serious? Once a world of rivers, lakes, and possibly oceans, Mars now reveals its secrets through chloride salt deposits found by our ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter,” ESA wrote.

“These deposits, remnants of ancient water bodies, could indicate habitable zones from billions of years ago. The discovery of nearly a thousand potential sites offers new insights into Mars’ climate and potential for past life. Explore the Martian landscape in this carousel,” the agency added. They concluded the post with a series of pictures.

Take a look at the post by ESA here:

Since being shared, the viral post has gathered nearly 9,000 likes - and the numbers are only increasing. The share has further prompted people to post varied comments.

What did Instagram users say about this post by the ESA?

“The first one reminds me of Jack Skeleton,” wrote an Instagram user. Another added, “That's so beautiful.” A third commented, “Well, well, it looks familiar to me.” A fourth joined, “Way too serious.”

ESA’s Exobiology on Mars program (ExoMars program) was launched with two missions: “The first, the Trace Gas Orbiter, launched in 2016, while the second, carrying the Rosalind Franklin rover, is scheduled to launch in 2028. Together, they will address the question of whether life has ever existed on Mars.” It is designed to “understand if life ever existed on Mars.”

What are your thoughts on these pics shared by the ESA? Did they leave you stunned?