Scientists have discovered a giant volcano on Mars that has been “hidden in plain sight” for more than 50 years.
The volcano is around 280 miles (450 kilometers) wide and more than 29,600 feet (9,000 meters) high. It is located in the eastern part of Mars’ Tharsis volcanic province near the planet’s equator, scientists revealed at the 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held in Texas between March 11 and 15.
The team also spotted what appears to be the remains of a sheet of buried glacier ice near the base of the volcano. They believe this could make the volcano a “prime location” for astrobiological research and the search for signs of alien life.
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