Home>Science>Space
A natural labyrinth.
ByElisha Sauers on
The German Aerospace Center's Mars camera photographed the Angustus Labyrinthus region near the south pole of Mars on Feb. 27, 2024. The imagery allowed scientists to create this oblique perspective, generated from digital terrain simulations.Credit: ESA / DLR / FU Berlin (CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO)
A European spacecraft orbiting Mars has acquired some of the most detailed images yet of a region at the Red Planet's south pole known as "Inca City."
How this mysterious place earned its nickname is pretty obvious: From space, the natural grid-like pattern of pin-straight ridges, right angles, and polygons looks like the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. Though NASA's Mariner 9 spacecraft discovered this area — more formally referred to as Angustus Labyrinthus — 50 years ago, planetary scientists are still unsure what natural phenomenon drove its formation.
"It could be that sand dunes have turned to stone over time," according to the European Space Agency, which runs the Mars Express orbiter. "Perhaps material such as magma or sand is seeping through fractured sheets of Martian rock."
Or, in another possible theory, the ridges could be winding structures related to glaciers, the agency said. The German Aerospace Centre, whose High Resolution Stereo Camera shot the photos, believes the most compelling explanation is that the narrow ridges are solidified lava.
SEE ALSO:
NASA asks: Can anyone help us get our Mars samples back?Tweet may have been deleted
The features that resemble walls appear to trace part of a 53-mile-wide circle. Scientists think perhaps the "city" sits in a large crater from an ancient asteroid collision. The impact may have caused faults to spread through the surrounding plain, filled with magma bubbling up.
Mashable Light Speed
Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?
Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter.
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
"Later, the softer material surrounding the polar plains was eroded, leaving behind ridges of the harder components of magmatic rock," the German Aerospace Centre said.
Mars Express has taught scientists a lot about the Red Planet over the past 20 years. The spacecraft has been observing the Martian surface, mapping its minerals, revealing its composition and other aspects of its environment.
An area at Mars' south pole region has been compared to these ruins at Machu Picchu in Peru.Credit: joSon / Getty Images
The new photos also found hints of spidery formations scattered over the polar region — features that are better understood by researchers than Inca City. Dark splotches seen in the image below are buried "spiders," or so-called araneiform terrain.
The spiders tend to emerge when spring sunlight shines on layers of carbon dioxide deposited over the dark winter. The sun causes the dry ice trapped below the ice cap to turn into gas, which eventually breaks through the ice.
The grid-like ridges of the Angustus Labyrinthus region on Mars along with dark-splotched "spiders."Credit: ESA / DLR / FU Berlin (CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO)
If those don't look like spiders to you, take a look at the image below, taken by another European spacecraft known as the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. These ice spiders are lying just outside the region captured in the new Mars Express images. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has also repeatedly photographed the spiders.
Another European spacecraft known as the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has taken detailed pictures of the ice spiders as well.Credit: ESA / TGO / CaSSIS
"The emerging gas, laden with dark dust, shoots up through cracks in the ice in the form of tall fountains or geysers, before falling back down and settling on the surface," according to ESA.
The geysers make blotches about 50 yards to a half-mile wide. These patterns — when seen beneath the ice, as photographed recently by Mars Express — are a sign that "spiders'' will eventually pop out. Scientists think this process, which doesn't happen on Earth, is a key mechanism for carbon dioxide exchange between the polar ice cap and the Martian atmosphere.
Featured Video For You
NASA video shows stunning scene from extremely volcanic world Io
TopicsNASA
Elisha Sauers
Elisha Sauers writes about space for Mashable, taking deep dives into NASA's moon and Mars missions, chatting up astronauts and history-making discoverers, and jetting above the clouds. Through 17 years of reporting, she's covered a variety of topics, including health, business, and government, with a penchant for public records requests. She previously worked for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia, and The Capital in Annapolis, Maryland. Her work has earned numerous state awards, including the Virginia Press Association's top honor, Best in Show,and national recognition for narrative storytelling. For each year she has covered space, Sauers has won National Headliner Awards, including first place for her Sex in Space series. Send space tips and story ideas to [emailprotected] or text 443-684-2489. Follow her on X at @elishasauers.
Recommended For You
NASA rover gets blasted by solar storm on Mars, captures footage
Mars isn't protected.
By Mark Kaufman
NASA rover discovers mysterious Mars boulder unlike any others
Could this be a sample of Mars' original crust?
By Elisha Sauers
NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 9
Stuck on any of the clues? We have the answers you need.
By Mashable Team
NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 18
Stuck on any of the clues? We have the answers you need.
By Mashable Team
The best MacBooks: Which Apple laptop would we buy in 2024?
Whether you want something current or from a previous generation, we've got you covered.
By Dylan Haas
More in Science
How to watch the 2024 Copa America online for free
Live stream every game without spending anything.
By Joseph Green
How to watch the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup online for free
Stream every match from this electric tournament without spending anything.
By Joseph Green
How to watch Ecuador vs. Venezuela online for free
The Copa America 2024 action has kicked off.
By Matt Ford
How to watch Bangladesh vs. India online for free
Tune into the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup from anywhere in the world, without spending a thing.
By Lois Mackenzie
How to watch Afghanistan vs. Australia online for free
Tune into the T20 from anywhere in the world.
By Lois Mackenzie
Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for June 22
Everything you need to solve 'Connections' #377.
By Mashable Team
'Wordle' today: Here's the answer hints for June 22
Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer to "Wordle" #1099.
By Mashable Team
How to watch Euro 2024 online for free
Bypass geo-restrictions to watch every Euro 2024 fixture for free from anywhere in the world.
By Joseph Green
NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 22
Stuck on any of the clues? We have the answers you need.
By Mashable Team
How to watch Belgium vs. Romania online for free
Want to watch Euro 2024 for free? Look no further.
By Joseph Green and Matt Ford
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!
- TECH
- SCIENCE
- LIFE
- SOCIAL GOOD
- ENTERTAINMENT
- BEST PRODUCTS
- DEALS
- About Mashable
- Contact Us
- We're Hiring
- Newsletters
- Sitemap
Mashable supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownership. Group Black's collective includes Essence, TheShadeRoom and Afro-Punk.
©2005–2024 Mashable, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. All Rights Reserved.
Mashable is a registered trademark of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without express written permission.
- About Ziff Davis
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Use
- Advertise
- Accessibility
- Do Not Sell My Personal Information