Giant Volcano and Possible Glacier Ice Discovered on Mars

A giant volcano and possible buried glacier ice have been discovered in the eastern part of Mars’ Tharsis volcanic province, near the planet’s equator. This groundbreaking announcement was made at the 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas, revealing that the giant volcano, provisionally designated “Noctis volcano,” had been hiding in plain sight for decades. The discovery of this giant volcano and potential glacier ice points to an exciting new location to study Mars’ geologic evolution through time and search for signs of life. The structure’s gigantic size and complex modification history indicate that it has been active for a very long time, from ancient through recent times. This finding opens up new possibilities for future exploration and research on Mars.