The European Space Agency (ESA) reported the discovery on the slopes of one of the largest volcanoes on Mars some "holes in string" that, depending on their origin, could be "interesting targets" in the search for microscopic life.



Photographs taken June in the Tharsis region, characterized by its three "huge" volcanoes, revealed a series of "circular depressions" on the southeastern flank of one of them , the Alba Patera, which is one of the greatest of all the solar system. According to the agency, the most interesting scenario would be if these cavities have been created by groundwater , as in our planet in the Mexican peninsula of Yucatan with the famous "cenotes", deposits formed by the collapse of roofs caves and the dissolution of the limestone. Another possibility is that come the fall of the roof formed by ancient tunnels that were once rivers of magma that circulated under the solidified lava and surface, and at stopping the volcanic activity would have been hollow. ESA believes that the first hypothesis is more promising in the search for microscopic life in the event that there is any cave-like structure associated with those holes intact, because the organisms could survive protected from surface of the harsh conditions . However, ESA not denied that it is simple grooves in the bark of Mars , grabens known as "grabens", which can also form the cavities discovered. In any case, points out that these brands are "interesting" because it shows "the many similarities between the geological processes on Earth and Mars" , so the finding may become an object of study for future missions. EFE

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