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Giant volcano hidden in plain sight discovered on the surface of Mars
An enormous volcano has been discovered hiding in plain sight on Mars in one of the planets most iconic regions.�
Though space is undoubtedly terrifying, the true vastness of it is truly something to behold. New things are discovered all the time, making our pursuit of space travel all that more enticing.�
One massive volcano and a tonne of ice
Teams of scientists found the volcano and a buried glacier in Mars Tharsis volcanic province, near the planets equator. The beast, named Noctis volcano, is reported to be 29,600 feet high and 450 kilometers (280 miles) wide.
Interestingly, the volcanos size suggests it has been active for a long time, with the most recent volcanic deposits viewable in imaging.�
Scientists revealed their spectacular findings at the recent 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference held in The Woodlands, Texas.
Why is it so exciting?
Researchers were thrilled to discover the geological marvel as they now have an entirely new area to explore, track and, of course, look for life in.
Dr. Pascal Lee, of the� SETI Institute and the Mars Institute, said in the study: We were examining the geology of an area where we had found the remains of a glacier last year when we realized we were inside a huge and deeply eroded volcano.
This area of Mars is known to have a wide variety of hydrated minerals spanning a long stretch of Martian history. A volcanic setting for these minerals had long been suspected. So, it may not be too surprising to find a volcano here, said Sourabh Shubham, the studys co-author. In some sense, this large volcano is a long-sought smoking gun.
Lee continued: Its really a combination of things that makes the Noctis volcano site exceptionally exciting. Its an ancient and long-lived volcano so deeply eroded that you could hike, drive, or fly through it to examine, sample, and date different parts of its interior to study Mars evolution through time.
Due to the combination of raw materials like ice, water, and molten rock, Lee explained that Noctis is the perfect place for astrobiology and our search for signs of life.
