Astronomers Find Evidence of Ancient Volcano on Mars
A new look at Martian satellite imagery suggests there’s been another volcano the entire time.
Beyond a few rovers crawling over its surface and frequent dust storms, not much happens on the red planet next door. This is especially true when you compare it to Earth, which is constantly being reshaped by weather patterns and tectonic activity. But Mars has not always been so stagnant. Giant volcanoes such as Olympus Mons dot the surface, giving us a glimpse into Martian history.
Just like Earth, volcanic activity played a crucial role in shaping Mars as we know it today.
Astronomers believe that regular volcanic activity on Mars likely stopped billions of years ago, although research from 2020 suggests that the last of these eruptions may have been as recent as 53,000 years ago. Regardless, it’s safe to say the days of volcanic construction on Mars have long passed.
While future eruptions are not entirely off the table, what exactly caused volcanic activity to halt on the Martian surface? One clue is that Mars does not have active plate tectonics on its surface. On Earth, plate tectonics plays a major role in nearly all geologic activity, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, rock formation, and more. While…
