A salt deposit on Mars, shaped like a ‘smiley face,’ has intrigued scientists who believe it might hold clues to the Red Planet’s most elusive secret: the remnants of its last surviving life forms. Billions of years ago, Mars was covered in vast lakes and rivers that disappeared during a global freeze. Researchers suggest that this emoticon-shaped salt deposit could be hiding resilient microbes.
The European Space Agency’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, a satellite dedicated to searching for signs of life on Mars, has captured remarkable images of these chloride salt deposits on the planet’s dry surface. By examining these deposits, scientists hope to learn more about Mars’ ancient climate, geology, and potential for habitability.
ESA’s post read: “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. These deposits, remnants of ancient water bodies, might point to habitable zones from billions of years ago. With nearly a thousand potential sites discovered, we gain new insights into Mars’ climate and its potential for past life. Explore the Martian landscape in this carousel.”
“When Mars lost its magnetic field, it could no longer retain its atmosphere, leading to the evaporation, freezing, or entrapment of water within its surface. As the water gradually vanished, it left behind mineral traces. Highly saline waters could have provided a refuge for life, marking potential habitable areas on Mars. High salt concentrations allow water to remain liquid even at temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius,” explained Valentin Bickel, a planetary scientist at the University of Bern in Switzerland, who led the recent research published in the journal *Scientific Data*.
The European Space Agency shared this post yesterday, which has since received over 11,000 likes and numerous comments. One user remarked, “That’s so beautiful,” while another commented, “Why so cheesy?”
A third user said, “With this face shape, we’ll probably see some far-fetched theories.” A fourth added, “It would be helpful to have scale references to gauge the size of these craters.”
