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Massive hole on Mars could be ‘portal’ leading to underground world of alien life; NASA shares stunning photo
“Holes such as this are of particular interest because they might be portals to lower levels that extend into expansive underground caves," NASA said.
NASA has claimed that a huge hole on Mars could be a "portal" leading to an underground world of alien life. The space agency shared a photo of the opening in the Martian landscape as part of its Astronomy Picture of the Day series. The opening is 300-foot-wide. The hole, which spans about 328 feet, is located in the upper-right portion of a satellite photo.
“Actually, there are numerous holes pictured in this Swiss cheese-like landscape, with all-but-one of them showing a dusty, dark, Martian terrain beneath evaporating, light, carbon dioxide ice,” NASA wrote. “The most unusual hole is on the upper right, spans about 100 meters, and seems to punch through to a lower level. Why this hole exists and why it is surrounded by a circular crater remains a topic of speculation, although a leading hypothesis is that it was created by a meteor impact.”
The space agency added, “Holes such as this are of particular interest because they might be portals to lower levels that extend into expansive underground caves. If so, these naturally occurring tunnels are relatively protected from the harsh surface of Mars, making them relatively good candidates to contain Martian life. These pits are therefore also prime targets for possible future spacecraft, robots, and even human interplanetary explorers.”
Could there be life on the Martian surface?
Scientists have long believed that Mars was once more Earth-like billions of years ago. NASA's rovers, satellites, and future astronauts discovering underground caves or lava tubes can be best trusted with finding signs of life on the Martian surface.
Mars now reportedly lacks a strong magnetic field and thick atmosphere, leading to its surface constantly being bombarded by high levels of cosmic and solar radiation. This could be deadly to life. However, because of the natural shielding of these caves and tubes, life may have managed to survive. Astronauts, therefore, may be able to find some kind of evidence, or even fossils, of living organisms.
The USGS Astrogeology Science Center created a map in 2019, showing more than 1,000 potential cave entrances across Mars. Glen Cushing, a space scientist from the centre, said at the time, according to GB News, "It is impossible to see how far any of them extend beneath the surface."
